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Iowa Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 14,542 Active 467 In committee 9,746 Passed 1,318 Signed 1,696 Failed 1,705

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HF 2027: A bill for an act relating to the sales tax holiday.

This bill raises the price limit for tax-free purchases during Iowa's annual sales tax holiday from $100 to $200. The holiday occurs on the first weekend in August each year. Residents purchasing qualifying items (like clothing or school supplies) under $200 will not pay state sales tax during this period. The change directly affects Iowa consumers buying eligible items during the designated weekend.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HF 970: A bill for an act relating to the double up food bucks program, the supplemental nutrition assistance program and making appropriations and including effective date provisions.

HF 970 allocates $1 million for Iowa's Double Up Food Bucks program, which helps SNAP recipients buy fresh produce at farmers markets and grocery stores. It requires grant recipients to match funds dollar-for-dollar and ensures the funds remain available beyond the fiscal year. The bill also seeks federal approval to restrict SNAP-eligible foods to healthy items like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. This food eligibility change would take effect only after the USDA approves the modification. The program funding becomes effective upon federal approval of the food rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HF 1035: A bill for an act relating to the regulation and taxation of tobacco products and heated tobacco products.

HF 1035 updates the regulation and taxation of tobacco products, specifically targeting heated tobacco products. The bill defines "heated tobacco product" and includes it within the existing definition of "cigarette" for certain regulatory purposes, such as sales and manufacturer obligations. It establishes a new tax rate of 3.4 cents per consumable unit of a heated tobacco product, which is half the tax rate applied to traditional cigarettes. Additionally, the bill exempts heated tobacco products from the 22% wholesale tax currently imposed on other tobacco products. Finally, it modifies the definition of "vapor product" to specifically include liquid nicotine.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2451: A bill for an act relating to student instructional technology standards, including elementary school digital instruction limits, technology use policies, and governance of one-to-one digital device programs.

HF 2451 sets a 60-minute daily limit on digital instruction for Iowa students in kindergarten through fifth grade, excluding uses like IEP-required technology, teacher demonstrations, or state assessments. It requires school districts to adopt written technology use policies for these grades, including daily limits, a list of digital platforms, parent opt-out rights, and a statement that technology should support foundational learning. The bill also mandates a technology adoption checklist for one-to-one device programs, covering instructional purpose, age appropriateness, content filtering, and student data practices. These policies and checklists must be published online for public access. The bill applies to all school districts, charter schools, and innovation school zones in Iowa.

Topics ✗ Education ✗ Technology

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2447: A bill for an act relating to water and energy use for data centers, including reporting and tariff requirements, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2447 requires data centers in Iowa to submit quarterly reports on water and energy usage, including details like water sources, efficiency metrics (e.g., water usage effectiveness), and energy consumption data. It also mandates a separate utility tariff classification for data centers to ensure their costs are fairly allocated without shifting expenses to other electricity users. Data center operators must report basic facility information (name, address, operational dates) alongside usage metrics, with reports published online by state agencies. These requirements apply to all existing and new data centers within specified timeframes after the bill’s effective date.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2283: A bill for an act relating to grid-enhancing technologies and reconductoring, including study and reporting requirements.

HF 2283 requires Iowa's public utilities and transmission companies to study grid-enhancing technologies (like dynamic line rating systems) and reconductoring (replacing conductors with more efficient ones) by January 1, 2027, with updates every three years. The studies must evaluate how these approaches could increase transmission capacity, reduce congestion, support renewable energy integration, improve reliability, and minimize land impacts. Municipal utilities, cooperatives, and single-customer transmission lines are exempt from this requirement. Utilities must submit these public studies to the Iowa Utilities Commission, which may rely on existing analyses from regional organizations to meet the reporting obligation.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2476: A bill for an act relating to driver’s licenses and nonoperator’s identification cards marked to reflect a holder’s nonapparent disability status.

HF 2476 allows Iowans with nonapparent disabilities - such as autism spectrum disorder, mental disabilities, or developmental disabilities - to request a special mark on their driver’s license or nonoperator ID card. The mark would feature a butterfly design approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation or another method the department deems sufficient to indicate the disability. Individuals must apply when renewing or initially obtaining the license/ID and may need to provide medical proof. The department will note this status in its electronic database for law enforcement access and create educational materials about the option.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2365: A bill for an act relating to the regulation of public utilities, including rate filings, rate adjustment mechanisms, virtual power plants, and integrated resource planning.

HF 2365 regulates Iowa's electric utilities by setting rules for rate filings, automatic rate adjustments, virtual power plants, and long-term planning. It requires rate-regulated utilities to file general rate cases every three years (starting July 2029), limits frequent rate changes to once per year without approval, and prohibits automatic rate adjustments for transmission costs. The bill defines "virtual power plants" as customer-owned energy resources managed centrally (not classified as utilities) and mandates commission approval based on customer benefits. It also requires utilities to submit detailed 3-year integrated resource plans by July 2027, including 5- and 20-year forecasts for energy needs, costs, and resource options like efficiency programs and distributed generation. These plans must be evaluated using standardized data and include public input processes.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2481: A bill for an act establishing a veterans recovery program and fund for the reimbursement of expenses related to providing hyperbaric oxygen treatment to eligible veterans, and making appropriations.

This bill establishes Iowa's Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery Program, creating a state fund to reimburse veterans for specialized oxygen therapy (hyperbaric oxygen treatment) used to treat diagnosed traumatic brain injury or PTSD. It directly affects Iowa veterans with these conditions who receive treatment at approved facilities, ensuring they pay no costs for the therapy. The program requires veterans' service organizations to submit approved treatment plans detailing medical necessity and costs, with reimbursement coming from the new fund - financed through state appropriations and other designated sources - after health improvements are verified. The Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs administers the program, tracks participation, and reports annually on its effectiveness.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2414: A bill for an act relating to automated decision systems used by employers.

Iowa's SF 2414 requires employers to provide written notice to employees (or their authorized representatives) about automated decision systems used in employment-related decisions - excluding hiring - before deployment or by January 1, 2027. The notice must explain the types of decisions affected (e.g., promotions, discipline, work assignments), describe the employee data used, and disclose key parameters that may disproportionately impact outcomes. It applies to employers in Iowa who use such systems to make decisions materially affecting wages, benefits, work conditions, or opportunities. The bill defines "automated decision systems" broadly but excludes tools like spam filters or basic databases. This is a transparency measure, not a restriction on system use.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2173: A bill for an act relating to sufficient English language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, and providing penalties.

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Transportation to test commercial driver's license (CDL) applicants and renewers for sufficient English language proficiency before issuing or renewing their licenses. It directly affects commercial drivers applying for or renewing CDLs, as well as commercial motor carriers hiring drivers. Key provisions include mandating a computer-based English proficiency exam (testing ability to read, speak, and understand traffic signs and official communications), prohibiting license issuance without passing the test, and imposing civil penalties of $3,000-$10,000 for carriers employing unqualified drivers or $1,000 for drivers operating vehicles without proficiency. The penalties fund Iowa's road use tax fund, and violations may also constitute a serious misdemeanor.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2349: A bill for an act relating to drainage districts and levees, including district parcel records.

SF 2349 amends Iowa law to give county auditors the option of making district parcel records available online instead of filing them physically with the county recorder. These records identify all land parcels within drainage districts and levees, including legal descriptions, parcel numbers, and owner names. The bill directly affects landowners in these districts by clarifying how their property information is documented and accessible, and it changes the process for county auditors who manage these records. The key change is the new online filing option, which eliminates the need for physical filing while maintaining the requirement to document all parcels in the district.