Iowa Bills

SF 2293 removes the requirement for Iowa's Department of Administrative Services to maintain a historical resource research center in Iowa City. The bill amends state code to eliminate the mandate that previously required the department to operate research centers in both Des Moines and Iowa City. This change directly affects the department's administrative obligations and Iowa City's access to state historical resources. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment, as specified in its effective date provision.

SF 2184 updates Iowa's licensing rules for medical doctors (both allopathic and osteopathic) and administrative medicine license holders. It requires licenses to expire on the licensee's birthday, limits renewal to every three years, caps continuing education at 15 hours annually, and mandates final license decisions within 45 days (or 75 days with notice of delays). The bill directly affects all physicians and administrative medicine licensees in Iowa by streamlining application processing and reducing recurring requirements. Key provisions include standardized license terms, simplified renewal rules, and clear timelines for board decisions.

SF 140 amends Iowa law to regulate satellite absentee voting stations. It requires that if a station is located on school property, the election must include a school-related ballot measure (such as a bond, levy, or educational program vote). The bill also mandates that election officials remove or obscure any published materials showing candidate names or public measure details (other than the ballot itself) at these stations. These changes affect how absentee voting locations are set up and what materials voters see near polling areas.

SF 413 amends Iowa law governing state bank boards of directors. It requires that at least three board members be Iowa residents (previously only required a majority of residents), and mandates that boards hold at least one regular meeting in each calendar quarter while maintaining a minimum of nine annual meetings. The bill directly affects state bank boards by changing their membership residency rules and meeting schedule requirements. These are procedural changes to board governance, not substantive banking policy. The bill passed the Iowa Senate unanimously on March 10, 2025.

SF 490 revises the definitions for "low-speed electric bicycle" and "pedestrian conveyance" by adjusting the maximum power output allowed for their electric motors. Currently, these devices must have an electric motor that produces *less than* 750 watts. The bill changes this wording to *not more than* 750 watts, allowing devices that produce exactly 750 watts to still be classified under these categories. This change directly affects individuals who own or use these electric devices, as exceeding the 750-watt limit would subject them to motor vehicle regulations.

This bill clarifies which organizations qualify as religious institutions for property tax exemption purposes in Iowa. It expands the definition to include churches, associations of churches, and religious nonprofit corporations that operate primarily for religious reasons, even if they are not affiliated with a specific church. The changes will take effect for tax assessments starting on or after January 1, 2027.

This Iowa bill mandates that employers providing health insurance for fire fighters and peace officers must cover the full cost of health insurance for 24 months for the surviving spouses and children of those killed in the line of duty. It also requires these same employers to pay for 24 months of health coverage for active fire fighters and peace officers who suffer work-related physical disabilities or injuries. Under the new rules, employers are no longer allowed to pass any portion of these insurance premiums to the surviving families or injured workers.

This bill allows specific Iowa school districts to raise their cash reserve property taxes for the 2026-2027 budget year if their taxable value dropped by at least $100 million due to a single property correction. To qualify, these districts must offset the additional cash reserve tax by reducing other levies, such as the district management tax, ensuring the total property tax amount does not exceed legal limits. The legislation requires districts to notify the Department of Management, which will then adjust the tax rates to implement these changes. It applies only to districts meeting the specific financial criteria and takes effect immediately upon enactment.

HSB 782 allocates state funds from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund, Technology Reinvestment Fund, and Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Fund to various agencies for specific projects in fiscal years 2026-2027. The bill directs money to the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for water quality demonstration projects on agricultural land, requiring a cost-share arrangement where the state covers up to 50% of practice costs. Additional appropriations support facility repairs for the Department for the Blind, air conditioning installation at correctional facilities, and grants to nonprofit organizations for infrastructure maintenance in smaller cities. The legislation also provides funding for updating agricultural fertilizer management models and deposits money into tourism and community attraction funds.

HF 2310 establishes a permanent state funding stream for pediatric cancer research at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. It appropriates $1 per Iowa resident annually (based on U.S. Census population estimates), capped at $3 million per fiscal year starting July 2026, directly from the state general fund. The funds must be used exclusively for pediatric cancer research activities - including lab work and clinical trials - at the University of Iowa, with strict prohibitions against covering administrative costs or unrelated projects. The State Board of Regents is required to submit an annual report detailing how the funds were spent to the governor and legislature by October 1. This bill directly affects the University of Iowa's cancer research programs and all Iowa residents through the per-resident funding mechanism.

HF 2293 sets a $5 fee for lifetime fur harvester licenses in Iowa, specifically for residents who served on active duty in the U.S. military and were disabled during service (as defined by 38 U.S.C. ch. 11). The bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to issue these licenses upon payment of the $5 fee plus any processing fee, and mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs to verify applicants' military disability status. This directly affects disabled veterans seeking permanent hunting rights for fur harvesting. The change standardizes the fee, which was previously set by department rule, and streamlines the application process through VA verification.

This bill increases the state appropriation for nonpublic school pupil transportation reimbursement by $186,883.55, raising the total limit to $9,183,974.55 for fiscal year 2025-2026. It directly affects nonpublic schools (like private or religious schools) that receive state funding for student transportation services. The key provision requires the Department of Education to use the additional funds to pay claims delayed due to administrative errors, while also mandating proration of all approved claims if total requests exceed the new appropriation limit. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.