This bill modifies Iowa's urban renewal tax rules to clarify how property tax revenue is shared between cities and school districts. It ensures that excess taxes collected for urban renewal projects are used to pay off city debt and support low-income housing, while explicitly excluding certain school and emergency service taxes from this specific revenue-sharing arrangement. The changes apply to property taxes due in fiscal years starting on or after July 1, 2027.
This bill amends Iowa's campaign finance laws to restrict foreign national involvement in ballot issue campaigns. It defines "foreign national" broadly to include non-U.S. citizens, foreign governments, and foreign-owned businesses, and requires political committees advocating for or against ballot measures to obtain donor affirmations confirming they are not foreign nationals and haven't received over $100,000 from foreign sources in the past four years. Foreign nationals are prohibited from making independent expenditures (such as ads or communications) to influence ballot issues, and violations can trigger civil penalties of up to $10,000 or three times the amount spent. The bill also includes provisions to protect lawful donor identities during investigations of campaign finance violations.
This bill enacts the athletic trainer compact for Iowa, allowing licensed athletic trainers from Iowa to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses in each state. It creates mutual recognition of licenses among member states to increase public access to athletic training services, reduce administrative burdens for professionals, and support military families by facilitating easier interstate practice. The compact includes provisions for sharing disciplinary information, using telehealth, and preserving each state’s authority to regulate practice and protect public health and safety.
SF 2395 modifies Iowa's state rulemaking process to increase transparency and accountability for "major rules." It defines a "major rule" as one requiring $200,000+ annual costs for affected parties, significantly impacting competition/employment, or amending federal clean air plans. The bill mandates agencies to provide detailed notices 35 days in advance, including cost-benefit analyses, and requires the legislative services agency to conduct independent reviews of major rules, assessing economic impacts on businesses, state revenue, and compliance costs. This directly affects state agencies creating rules and businesses/individuals subject to those regulations.
HF 2717 defines "major rules" as those with significant costs ($200k+ annual or $1M+ over 5 years), adverse economic impacts, or Clean Air Act changes. It requires state agencies to classify proposed rules as "major" and provide detailed regulatory analyses covering costs, benefits, alternatives, and impacts on businesses and communities. The bill also mandates that the Legislative Services Agency conduct its own review of major rules, including cost assessments for regulated entities and state revenue effects. This procedural change affects how Iowa agencies develop regulations and directly impacts businesses, local governments, and individuals subject to new rules. The bill is pending in the 2026 legislative session.
HF 2189 requires Iowa public corporations to send written notice of final acceptance for public improvement projects within 14 days to the principal contractor, surety on performance bonds, and any claimants for labor or materials. This notice must include the date of final acceptance, and the public corporation cannot be held liable for failing to send it. The bill directly affects contractors, suppliers, and sureties involved in public construction projects by establishing a clear timeline for notification after project completion. It modifies existing notice requirements under Iowa Code § 573.16 to ensure timely communication about final acceptance. The change focuses on procedural clarity without altering substantive rights or obligations.
Senate Resolution 118 formally honors Senator Jack Whitver for his service in the Iowa Senate. The resolution recognizes his leadership roles, including Senate President and Senate Majority Leader, as well as his extensive committee work and legislative achievements. It was adopted by the Senate to acknowledge his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.
This bill directs the Governor of Iowa to opt into a federal tax credit program that allows individuals to receive tax breaks for donating money to scholarship-granting organizations. These organizations are nonprofits that provide financial aid for elementary and secondary education expenses, such as tuition and tutoring, to students in both public and private schools. To maintain eligibility for this program starting in tax years after January 1, 2027, the state's departments of revenue and education must follow federal rules and submit required information to the U.S. Treasury.
This bill establishes a statewide electronic system for county veterans service offices to submit federal benefit claims and requires staff in these offices to obtain specific federal certifications and security clearances within twelve months of employment. It creates a new veterans services excellence fund funded by lottery proceeds and state appropriations to incentivize counties to improve veteran outreach and application efficiency, with annual allocations based on performance metrics starting in 2027. The legislation also clarifies that recognized veterans' service organizations can represent veterans in federal benefit claims and grants them power of attorney for this purpose. Additionally, it sets up quarterly reporting requirements to share performance data with county commissions and boards of supervisors.
This bill establishes a Choose Iowa school purchasing program that matches school district spending on local agricultural products with state funding, allowing schools to purchase meat, poultry, dairy, grains, eggs, honey, and produce from Iowa farms at a one-to-one reimbursement rate. It also creates a Choose Iowa food bank purchasing program that provides matching funds to Iowa food banks and emergency feeding organizations for similar local food purchases, with a cap of $50,000 per organization annually. The legislation authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to administer these programs, set membership criteria for participating farms and businesses, and use up to 5% of program funds for administrative costs. Additionally, the bill allocates $1.75 million annually to support renewable fuel infrastructure for retail motor fuel sites and $150,000 for program administration.
SF 2298 modifies Iowa's debt management program regulations. It requires licensees to maintain separate accounts for debtor payments (Section 1) and establishes new rules for charging fees: licensees may only charge fees after renegotiating debts, securing a debtor payment, and applying proportional fees based on individual debt amounts (Section 4). The bill removes restrictions preventing licensees from receiving third-party payments (Section 3) and exempts debt management licensees from credit services organization rules (Section 6). This directly affects debt management licensees and their clients, changing how funds are handled and fees are structured.
HF 2595 proposes new regulations for mining operations in Iowa. The bill would require mining companies to submit proof of financial responsibility (to cover cleanup costs), detailed site maps, and involve local authorities in permit approvals and renewals. These rules would apply to all mining activities seeking permits under existing state law. The bill is currently in the introduction stage and has not yet been enacted.
