Iowa Bills

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 596: A bill for an act relating to the recounting and contesting of elections, and providing penalties.

HF 596 changes Iowa's election recount rules for most races. It requires a recount if the vote difference between the apparent winner and the requesting candidate is 1% or less, with specific deadlines (e.g., by 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday after election day). Candidates must post a bond for recounts unless the margin is under 50 votes or 0.1% of total votes. The bill also standardizes recount procedures, including forming a recount board with representatives from both candidates and a neutral third member, and clarifies that statewide election recounts will be managed by the state election commissioner. This directly affects candidates seeking recounts and county/state election officials handling the process.

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 539: A bill for an act relating to the law enforcement academy, including military veterans with active duty military police experience.

HF 539 would allow Iowa military veterans with active duty military police experience to join state law enforcement agencies without completing the full law enforcement academy training. Veterans must have served at least four years in the military, held a military police role with accredited training equivalent to Iowa's standards, and received an honorable discharge. Eligible veterans would need to apply with documentation, receive a certificate of equivalency, and complete a one-week Iowa-specific orientation course covering state laws and procedures. The bill also requires the council to develop evaluation guidelines and publish annual reports tracking veterans' transitions and performance in law enforcement roles.

Topics ✓ Veterans

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 334: A bill for an act authorizing school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to employ chaplains, or engage volunteer chaplains, to provide services to students.

HF 334 would allow Iowa public school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to hire paid chaplains or use volunteer chaplains to provide student support services. Key provisions include removing requirements for chaplains to hold educational licenses or certifications, mandating background checks and termination procedures similar to other school staff, and prohibiting schools from requiring or pressuring students to use chaplain services. The bill directly affects schools seeking to offer spiritual or emotional support programs to students through chaplaincy services. It does not change existing student rights or create new funding requirements for schools.

Topics ✓ Education

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 754: A bill for an act relating to health care including a funding model for the rural health care system; the elimination of several health care-related award, grant, residency, and fellowship programs; establishment of a health care professional incentive program; Medicaid graduate medical education; the health facilities council; and the Iowa health information network, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

HF 754 replaces several existing Iowa healthcare funding programs with a new "health care professional incentive program" to support medical workers in rural areas. It ends specific initiatives like the rural primary care loan repayment program and mental health professional loan repayment program, redirecting their remaining funds to the new incentive program. The bill also establishes a "hub-and-spoke" funding model for rural healthcare collaboration, requiring state approval from federal authorities. The bill was recommended for passage but was withdrawn on March 31, 2025, and is no longer active.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 230: A bill for an act relating to nuisance actions against sports or exposition venues.

HF 230 creates legal immunity for sports and exposition venues (like racetracks, sports arenas, and trade fairs) from nuisance lawsuits under specific conditions. It limits such lawsuits to cases where the plaintiff owns the affected property and the venue has materially violated a law, while granting automatic protection to venues operating over one year (if compliant with all laws). The bill also prohibits local governments from suing compliant venues and allows "reasonable expansions" (e.g., adding technology or land) without triggering nuisance claims, excluding expansions harming the environment or public safety. The bill was advanced through committee but withdrawn on March 31, 2025.

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 692: A bill for an act relating to deer hunting privileges of disabled veterans, and making penalties applicable.

HF 692 allows Iowa disabled veterans who served on active duty and were disabled during service (verified by the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs) to use standard deer hunting licenses during any season where the hunting method matches their license. It directly affects eligible disabled veterans by granting them equal access to regular deer hunting opportunities without needing special permits. The bill requires veterans to show proof of residency and disability status to peace officers upon request, and failure to do so results in a $30 fine for a simple misdemeanor. This policy change simplifies access to hunting privileges while maintaining standard verification procedures.

Topics ✓ Veterans

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 365: A bill for an act establishing a cause of action for murder in the first degree by causing the death of another by delivering, dispensing, or providing fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance, and making penalties applicable.

HF 365 would create a new criminal charge of murder in the first degree for anyone who unlawfully delivers, dispenses, or provides fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances that directly causes another person's death through injection, inhalation, absorption, or ingestion. This law would apply specifically to individuals who distribute these drugs, making the act a class "A" felony punishable by life imprisonment without parole. The bill explicitly states that a victim's own drug use or consent cannot be used as a defense against this charge. It does not affect users or those who possess fentanyl for personal use, only those who supply it to others resulting in death.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 713: A bill for an act relating to probate law, including providing notice to named beneficiaries and a process for named beneficiaries to obtain ownership of property held by others.

HF 713 simplifies how beneficiaries claim property like life insurance or retirement accounts after someone dies. It requires banks, insurers, and other property holders to notify named beneficiaries within 10 business days of the owner’s death and provide contact details. Beneficiaries can then submit a simple written statement (affidavit) confirming their claim, without needing to provide extra personal details like Social Security numbers. If property holders refuse to act within 30 days, beneficiaries can sue for the property or information, with courts able to award damages, penalties up to $10,000, and legal fees. This bill directly affects beneficiaries and financial institutions holding non-probate assets.

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 593: A bill for an act relating to groundwater hazard statement requirements.

HF 593 would have exempted certain property transfers from requiring a groundwater hazard statement. Specifically, it would have removed the need to submit this paperwork when transferring trust assets to beneficiaries at no cost (without consideration). This directly affects individuals or entities handling such trust distributions who would otherwise face this additional filing step. The bill was withdrawn before becoming law in March 2025.

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 669: A bill for an act relating to the expungement of certain criminal history records of victims of human trafficking, and including penalties.

This bill allows victims of human trafficking in Iowa to petition courts to remove certain criminal records from public access. It directly affects individuals who committed offenses (like drug possession or prostitution) while being trafficked, enabling them to clear these records through a simplified court process. Key provisions include no filing fees, requiring only a sworn statement (with official victim documentation as evidence), and creating a presumption of trafficking victim status when documentation is provided. Serious crimes like homicide, sexual abuse, or kidnapping are excluded from this expungement. The bill was withdrawn in March 2025 and never became law.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 240: A bill for an act relating to insurance requirements for the granting of a hazardous liquid pipeline permit.

HF 240 requires pipeline applicants in Iowa to provide proof of sufficient insurance or surety before a hazardous liquid pipeline permit is granted. This insurance must cover damages from pipeline discharges (both negligent and intentional), property damage from construction or leaks, and increased insurance costs or inability to obtain insurance for nearby residents. Pipeline companies must either purchase insurance for affected residents or reimburse them for higher premiums caused by the pipeline's presence. The bill was recommended for passage by committees but was withdrawn on March 31, 2025.

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 416: A bill for an act relating to open meetings and open records, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.

HF 416 strengthens Iowa's open meetings and records laws by increasing penalties for violations and adding training requirements. It raises damages for unintentional open meetings violations from $100-$500 to $500-$2,500, and for intentional violations from $1,000-$2,500 to $5,000-$12,500. The bill also requires removal from office for members with prior violations (previously requiring assessed damages first) and mandates new officials complete a 1-2 hour training course on open records laws within 90 days of taking office. The Iowa Public Information Board must ensure training is available, including at no cost, with certificates maintained publicly. These changes apply to state and local governmental bodies but exclude the judicial branch, legislature, and governor's office.

Bill results