HF 2122 allows teachers in Iowa public schools (including districts, charters, and innovation zones) to remove students exhibiting disorderly conduct - such as threats, violence, disruptions, or profane language - from their classrooms. Principals must then follow specific procedures, including providing written notice before readmitting students and disciplining those excluded three times in 30 days (e.g., suspension or alternative learning). The bill also grants teachers the right to appeal principal decisions about exclusions or readmissions, protects them from retaliation for using these rights, and requires school districts to provide injured teachers with five days of full-paid leave. It applies directly to educators, students, and school staff while aligning disciplinary policies with state and federal education laws.
This bill allows heirs or successors of a deceased person (decedent) to claim unpaid child support payments held by Iowa's child support agency using a new affidavit form. It applies specifically to decedents with very small estates (valued at $50,000 or less), expanding an existing small estate procedure to include undistributed child support owed to the decedent. The key provision requires child support services to create and provide this standardized form, enabling successors to access the funds without full probate. The bill does not change the eligibility for the small estate process but streamlines how child support held by the agency can be distributed.
HF 981, the "Stop Squatters Act," creates a new process for property owners to quickly remove people occupying their property without permission. It allows owners or their agents to file a complaint with police (in cities) or the sheriff (outside cities) if the occupant is not a tenant, family member, or involved in pending legal disputes, and has been explicitly told to leave. Law enforcement must investigate and, if valid, order the person to vacate immediately and return the property to the owner. Unauthorized occupants who refuse to leave after being notified face misdemeanor charges: simple misdemeanor for property damage under $1,000 (up to 30 days in jail or $855 fine), or serious misdemeanor for damage over $1,000 (up to one year in jail or $2,560 fine). The bill excludes current/former tenants and family members from this process.
HF 82 requires new single-family or two-family residential construction in Iowa to include passive radon mitigation methods (like specific foundation designs) as part of the state building code. It directly affects new home builders and developers constructing these specific types of residences. The requirement applies only to projects starting after the rule is adopted by the building code commissioner. This is a concrete policy change to proactively address radon gas exposure in newly built homes.
SF 2147 changes who must be notified when an investment adviser seeks to remove information from the state's investment adviser registration record. Currently, the insurance commissioner or the reporting adviser "may" be named as a party in such a request; this bill makes the commissioner "shall" be named as a mandatory party, while the reporting adviser remains an optional party. The bill directly affects investment advisers who want to expunge records and the Iowa Insurance Commissioner, who oversees the registration system. This clarifies the process for expungement requests without altering the underlying eligibility for record removal.
SF 579 modifies how local civil rights commissions and agencies process complaints and sets terms for their commissioners. It requires complaints where a political subdivision is a party to be referred to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights. Any party can request a complaint be transferred to the Iowa Office of Civil Rights if it alleges an Iowa civil rights violation and remains unresolved after twelve months, with local agencies required to notify parties of this right. Local agencies must also cross-file complaints alleging state law violations with the Iowa Office of Civil Rights. Finally, the bill sets the term for commissioners appointed to local civil rights agencies or commissions at two years.
This bill updates Iowa's hunter education requirements for individuals born after January 1, 1972, who need a hunting license. It allows completion of an online hunter education course approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to satisfy the requirement, eliminating the need for mandatory in-person field days (though optional in-person sessions may still be offered). The bill also expands acceptable certifications to include those from nationally recognized organizations meeting IHEA-USA standards, in addition to existing recognition of out-of-state certifications and IHEA-USA-approved courses.
SF 2302 requires Iowa institutions of higher education to schedule a career development meeting for each new undergraduate student within their first year. During this meeting, institutions must review the student's interests, career paths aligned with their major (or potential majors), and provide specific job market data including local job availability, pay ranges, and high-demand occupations for the prior five years. The bill mandates that institutions also provide students with resources for resumes, networking, and employment opportunities during or before the meeting. This applies to first-time students enrolling at participating institutions (state-regulated or certain private schools with Iowa tuition grants) on or after July 1, 2026.
SF 2380 creates a legal process to challenge lawsuits alleging website accessibility violations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It directly affects businesses operating websites (as defendants) and attorneys filing such lawsuits in Iowa. The bill establishes that if a defendant fixes the accessibility issue within 30 days of notice, the lawsuit is presumed abusive unless corrected within 90 days. Courts must consider factors like the number of similar lawsuits filed by the plaintiff and the defendant's resources when determining if litigation is abusive. If deemed abusive, courts can award attorney fees and up to three times those fees as sanctions.
This bill requires Iowa's Department of Administrative Services to create a master contract for government entities to purchase fire fighting foam made primarily from soybean-based materials, excluding harmful chemicals like PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances). It directly affects all state agencies and local governments that buy fire fighting foam, mandating they use this specific contract unless an exception applies. Local governments with fire departments must decide by January 1, 2027, whether to adopt the soybean-based foam through a new ordinance. The policy shifts procurement away from foam containing toxic fluorinated chemicals, prioritizing safer alternatives.
HF 2620 prohibits local authorities without a valid permit from posting signs that claim they use automated traffic enforcement systems. It specifically targets misleading signs - such as those falsely indicating a system is in use when the local authority lacks a DOT-issued permit. Violators face a $1,000 civil penalty per day, with fines deposited into the road use tax fund. The bill does not change permit requirements for using traffic enforcement systems but ensures signs only appear when legally authorized.
HF 2624 expands DNA collection requirements in Iowa by mandating that individuals arrested for a felony or aggravated misdemeanor must submit a DNA sample, in addition to those already required to provide samples upon conviction or deferred judgment. This applies to anyone arrested for these offenses, including those later found not guilty or having charges dismissed. The bill also requires probationers to report if they have pending or resolved offenses requiring DNA submission, and establishes automatic expungement of DNA records within 30 days if a conviction is overturned, charges are dismissed, or no felony/misdemeanor charge is filed within one year of arrest. It clarifies that DNA samples are not required if a valid sample already exists in the state DNA database and hasn't been expunged.
