Iowa Bills

This bill (SF 523) changes Iowa's legal custody rules for children in divorce cases. It allows courts to award parents "separate rights and responsibilities" under joint legal custody when it benefits the child, rather than requiring shared decision-making. Parents can also propose a parenting plan outlining specific duties and time-sharing, which courts must approve unless it harms the child's best interest. The bill creates a clear process for resolving custody disputes: a parent files a court application, and the court must hold a hearing to decide in the child's best interest. It directly affects parents and children involved in divorce proceedings where custody is contested or modified.

HF 2510 modifies Iowa's K-12 social studies curriculum requirements. It mandates specific instruction on U.S. founding documents (including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist Papers), "admirable Americans" like Lincoln and Douglass, and Holocaust education for both students and teachers. The bill requires grades 5-6 to study key historical documents, adds a semester of civics focusing on U.S. founding principles and government structures, and specifies that U.S. history instruction must emphasize "exceptional and praiseworthy history" using primary sources. It directly affects all public school students in grades 1-12 and their educators across Iowa.

This Iowa bill (SF 2256) requires full legal names (first and last) for individual property owners on recorded deeds and mandates detailed property tax statements mailed to titleholders. The statements must include year-over-year tax comparisons, itemized tax breakdowns by land/dwelling, and specific levy rates for each taxing authority. Counties have one year to contact owners with incomplete name information in their systems and request corrections, after which counties are not liable for tax errors caused by missing data. It directly affects individual property owners and county treasurers managing tax records.

HF 2645 requires Iowa's state court administrator to establish an opt-out electronic notification system for criminal cases by July 1, 2027. The system will send text messages to people involved in criminal cases - including defendants, victims, witnesses, and their attorneys - providing reminders for court dates, fee notifications, and payment options. It mandates clear opt-out options, protects nonpublic case information, and limits system use to enrolled individuals. The bill does not require participation, and the system may be run by Iowa courts or a qualified outside vendor.

This bill (SF 2400) strengthens penalties for assaults against specific public safety and service workers in Iowa. It adds "employee or contractor of a public utility engaged in public utility responsibilities" to the list of protected occupations, expanding existing assault penalty tiers. Assaults causing injury or using weapons against these workers become class C felonies, while assaults involving spitting or saliva contact are classified as aggravated misdemeanors requiring a minimum 7-day jail term. The bill directly affects public utility employees and contractors, as well as other covered professions like police, firefighters, and healthcare workers, by increasing legal consequences for violence against them.

HF 2672 establishes Iowa's community solar program, allowing multiple subscribers to share benefits from solar facilities through bill credits. The bill sets specific rules: facilities can generate up to 5 megawatts (20 megawatts on brownfield sites), must have at least three subscribers, and require at least 60% of capacity to be subscribed by small users (under 40 kilowatts). Utilities must provide bill credits based on a commission-approved "value of solar" rate, with unused credits carried over monthly but forfeited annually. The program clarifies community solar does not count as a public utility or duplicate existing infrastructure, aiming to expand solar access while protecting non-participating customers from direct costs.

HF 2579 prohibits intentionally disrupting religious services through persistent noise, physical obstruction of entrances, or causing reasonable fear among attendees. It directly affects individuals who interfere with the orderly conduct of worship gatherings. Violators face a class "D" felony charge, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $1,025-$10,245 fine. This bill raises penalties for such disruptions from current misdemeanor levels to felony status under Iowa law. The measure is currently in committee review after its February 2026 introduction.

HF 2183 redirects excise taxes collected on aircraft sales from the state's general fund into the state aviation fund. Specifically, it changes the deposit of the 6% use tax on aircraft purchased for use in Iowa (subject to registration) from the general fund to the aviation fund. Moneys in the aviation fund are designated for airport engineering studies, construction or improvements, and marketing programs at public and commercial airports. This bill directly affects the allocation of revenue from aircraft sales, ensuring these funds support aviation infrastructure rather than general state spending.

HF 2226 requires the University of Iowa's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to accept at least 80% of students who graduated from Iowa high schools. It mandates admission priority for these Iowa high school graduates and requires applicants to state whether they graduated from an Iowa high school or plan to work in Iowa after graduation. The university must submit annual reports to Iowa lawmakers showing acceptance rates for Iowa applicants and brief reasons for denials (while keeping personal data confidential under federal privacy laws). This bill directly affects nursing program applicants and the University of Iowa's admissions process.

House File 1010 establishes an annual authorization fee for certain postsecondary educational institutions in Iowa. This bill requires the college student aid commission to collect a nonrefundable fee from entities that are authorized by the commission but do not currently pay a registration fee. These include institutions exempt from certain registration requirements or those offering educational courses, excluding some driver education providers. The annual fee is $2,000 for entities with a primary location in Iowa and $3,500 for those located outside of Iowa. The commission may increase these fees by up to three percent annually, commencing with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025.

HB 687 allows Iowa tax deductions for business expenses incurred by licensed medical cannabidiol (CBD) manufacturers and dispensaries, bypassing the federal restriction under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code. This applies to expenses paid by entities operating under Iowa’s Chapter 124E licensing rules, excluding expenses not incurred by licensed entities or those violating Chapter 124.401. The bill retroactively applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, changing Iowa’s tax code to align with state-specific CBD business needs. It directly affects licensed CBD businesses by potentially reducing their state income tax liability.

HF 2323 creates two new Iowa tax credits for donations to specific community organizations. The "maternity group home tax credit" allows taxpayers to claim a 100% credit against state taxes for donations to qualifying maternity group homes (defined in existing law), capped at $3.5 million annually statewide and $500,000 per organization. The "strong families tax credit" provides a 100% credit for donations to 501(c)(3) organizations offering comprehensive case management for at-risk families or fatherhood parenting services, with eligibility requiring the organization to not receive over 50% of revenue from government sources and not provide abortion counseling. Both credits are non-refundable but can be carried forward for up to five years if they exceed tax liability.