SF 2338 establishes Health and Human Services Districts (HHS districts) across Iowa to coordinate the delivery of health, human services, aging, disability, and volunteer services. The Department of Health and Human Services will initially use existing behavioral health districts as the foundation for these new districts and must review and adjust boundaries at least every seven years, considering factors like county lines, population served, and areas with high service needs. The bill also defines key terms related to these districts and requires advisory councils to help plan services within each district. This reorganizes service delivery to streamline coordination for residents and providers statewide.
HF 2534 adds shellfish to Iowa's definition of "animal" under animal feeding operation (AFO) regulations. It establishes weight-based calculation rules: shellfish weighing 25 grams or more equal 0.001 animal units each, while smaller shellfish equal 0.00006 animal units each. Shellfish confinement operations can now choose to follow general water quality permitting instead of standard AFO requirements. This directly affects shellfish farmers by integrating them into the state's existing AFO regulatory framework.
HF 2643 requires retail gasoline and diesel dealers in Iowa to file a report on total fuel gallonage sold or dispensed by the end of their tax year to maintain eligibility for specific tax credits. This affects dealers seeking credits under sections 422.11O (E-85 promotion), 422.11P (biodiesel), or 422.11Y (E-15 plus). Failure to file the required report by the deadline makes dealers ineligible for these credits for that tax year and all future years until the report is submitted. Dealers who miss the filing deadline face a potential $100 penalty per occurrence in addition to losing credit eligibility. The report is used to calculate excise taxes on ethanol-blended fuels like E-15 and biodiesel blends.
HF 2619 creates Iowa's "Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act," allowing individuals to resolve certain family disputes through binding arbitration instead of court. It applies to issues like child support and custody agreements (with specific requirements), but explicitly excludes divorce, termination of parental rights, adoptions, and child dependency determinations. The bill requires written arbitration agreements signed by both parties, sets qualifications for arbitrators (including domestic violence training), and allows courts to oversee or halt proceedings if agreements are invalid or disputes fall outside the act's scope. This provides an alternative process for resolving family law conflicts while maintaining court oversight for major issues.
HF 2660 increases the value limit for small estates handled through affidavits from $50,000 to $100,000, allowing heirs to claim personal property without court supervision if the estate contains no real property (and the 40-day waiting period remains). It also requires child support services to create a form enabling heirs to claim undistributed child support payments owed to the decedent. This bill directly affects Iowa residents inheriting small estates and those with pending child support payments held by state agencies. The changes streamline access to assets while maintaining the requirement that estates consist solely of personal property.
SF 2425 is an education bill modifying multiple areas, primarily affecting charter schools, nonpublic schools, and public school districts in Iowa. It increases funding for charter schools by adding teacher leadership, salary, and professional development supplements to their per-pupil state allocation. The bill also requires charter schools to participate in the state retirement system and establishes new rules allowing students at nonpublic schools or charter schools to join public school athletic programs under specific conditions. These changes apply to school budget years starting July 1, 2026, and include provisions for charter school closures and federal funding access.
HF 2697 allows courts in Iowa to order defendants to pay monetary compensation to victims as part of dismissing criminal charges or ordinance violations, with the consent of both the defendant and the prosecutor. This applies to "category B" restitution, which includes court costs, and directly affects defendants facing prosecution, victims seeking compensation, and prosecutors negotiating case resolutions. The bill changes existing law by giving courts this specific authority during dismissal agreements, rather than requiring full conviction. It does not alter criminal penalties but provides an alternative path for victims to receive financial restitution.
HF 2680 simplifies certification for medication aides working in Iowa nursing homes, residential care facilities, and specialized care centers. The bill requires Iowa's Department of Inspections to create a free online registry where medication aides can submit proof of passing exams, eliminating fees for accessing or submitting certification records. It also allows aides certified in other states to become certified in Iowa without retaking nurse aide exams or meeting additional employment requirements. The bill rescinds outdated administrative rules about medication aide training and mandates new rules to standardize certification across all relevant facilities.
HF 2500 prohibits state agencies in Iowa from including 19 specific contract terms in procurement agreements, such as provisions requiring the state to pay vendor liabilities, hiding payment terms, imposing foreign law, or waiving jury trials. It mandates that all state agency contracts must be governed by Iowa law and litigated in Iowa courts, while allowing limited waivers if a necessary service cannot be obtained otherwise. The bill applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2026, and affects all state agencies purchasing goods or services under Iowa’s procurement rules. It directly protects state agencies from unfavorable contractual terms that could impose financial risk or limit legal recourse.
HF 2296 prohibits counties and cities in Iowa from issuing local identification cards to residents. The bill allows exceptions: counties may still issue driver’s licenses, non-driver ID cards, and disability ID devices under Chapter 321M, and both counties and cities may issue ID cards to employees or elected officials for work-related purposes. It directly affects residents seeking local IDs but does not impact state-issued driver’s licenses or official government-issued credentials for staff. The law aims to standardize identification by limiting local issuance to specific, defined circumstances.
This bill modifies Iowa's rules for advance deposit wagering (betting where customers fund accounts first). It removes a requirement that the state racing commission must automatically authorize the Polk County horse racetrack licensee to offer this service. Instead, the commission can authorize licensed entities (under section 99D.9D) to conduct advance deposit wagering, but must have an agreement with the Polk County racetrack first. Revenue from this betting is split 50/50: half funds horse purses, half goes to the Polk County racetrack licensee. The bill directly affects the Polk County racetrack and licensed entities seeking to offer this betting method.
HF 2434 requires insurance companies in Iowa to cover health care services referred by an out-of-network primary care provider (PCP) without charging higher out-of-pocket costs than for in-network referrals. It directly affects patients who rely on PCPs not in their insurance network, ensuring they face the same deductible, copay, or coinsurance as if the PCP were in-network. The law prohibits insurers from denying coverage solely based on the PCP’s network status and allows them to verify if the patient has a direct primary care agreement with that PCP. This bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to referrals made after that date.
