HF 708 establishes clear guidelines for making healthcare decisions when patients cannot communicate, specifically for those with terminal conditions or serious illnesses. It defines key terms like "attorney in fact" (a health care agent), "close adult friend" (a designated trusted person meeting specific criteria), and clarifies hospice/palliative care eligibility. The bill creates a priority order for decision-makers: first a designated health care agent, then family members (spouse, children, parents), and finally a close adult friend, all guided by the patient’s known wishes. This focuses on ensuring patient autonomy and providing a structured process for care decisions without adding new services or altering hospice program requirements.
HF 162 requires employees of the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide a urine specimen for alcohol and drug testing within two hours after operating a state-owned vehicle in an accident causing injury or death. The bill applies specifically to DOT workers involved in such collisions while driving state vehicles, mandating testing under the same procedures used for standard DUI cases (Chapter 321J). Employees may pay for an independent test but cannot block the use of the initial test results, and failure to comply is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $855 fine. The bill does not apply if standard DUI testing already occurred under existing law.
HF 736 requires Iowa's Department of Transportation (DOT) to coordinate with utility companies upon written request to identify highway corridors for transmission line installation, assigning a project coordinator within 30 days. It prohibits the DOT from denying longitudinal transmission lines along highways (including interstates) unless safety or highway function is threatened, and mandates public disclosure of denial reasons within 90 days. The bill also limits utility right-of-way lease agreements to 20 years (replacing prior "extended" terms) and updates construction standards to allow lines within highway rights-of-way alongside roads, railways, and streams, provided they don’t interfere with public use. This directly affects utility companies, the DOT, and highway planning processes.
HF 814 allows pregnant minors in Iowa to consent to prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal medical care from specific healthcare providers if their parent, guardian, or legal custodian is not reasonably available. The bill directly affects pregnant minors who lack immediate access to a parent or guardian for medical decisions. It establishes that minors gain legal capacity to consent to this care, but healthcare providers must still obtain informed consent directly from the minor. The bill does not change existing requirements for providers to ensure minors understand their care options.
HF 632 limits civil liability for motocross facilities in Iowa by granting them immunity from lawsuits related to typical dangers of motocross activities, such as weather, terrain hazards, or operator error. This applies to facility operators (like rental parks or event organizers) and directly affects participants (riders) who cannot sue for injuries caused by these inherent risks. The bill includes exceptions where facilities remain liable for intentional harm, negligence causing injury, providing unsafe equipment, or failing to exercise reasonable care. It also requires facilities to post clear warning signs stating that Iowa law limits their liability for such inherent risks. The bill does not affect existing claims or common law defenses for injuries occurring before its effective date.
HF 2611 prohibits employers from hiring or continuing to employ someone who provided a false Social Security number (SSN) on employment documents. It also makes it unlawful for job seekers to provide a false SSN to obtain employment, and for employers to give fraudulent SSNs to hire people. Employers violating these rules face a $10,000 civil penalty, with repeated violations requiring business shutdowns until managers complete compliance training. The bill directly affects employers in Iowa and job seekers who use false SSNs, aiming to prevent identity fraud in hiring.
HF 2242 prohibits Iowa's regents-controlled public universities from raising tuition for resident undergraduate students starting upon the bill's enactment and continuing until July 1, 2031. This directly affects in-state undergraduate students at institutions like the University of Iowa, Iowa State, and others under the state board of regents. The key provision requires the board of regents to enforce a tuition freeze during this period, with the prohibition automatically ending on the specified date. The bill takes immediate effect once signed into law.
This bill requires designated public entities in Iowa, including state agencies, counties, cities, and school districts, to post all statutorily required public notices on a centralized online portal managed by the secretary of state. The secretary of state will charge a five-dollar fee for each notice posted, with collected funds deposited into a new public notice administration fund capped at $350,000. Each notice must include essential information such as meeting details, contact information, and instructions for public comments, and must remain accessible on the portal for five years after the notice period ends. While the bill mandates online posting, it also requires entities to maintain a physical copy of notices at their principal offices for public access. Exceptions apply to certain government offices and specific interstate licensure compacts, and disputes over notice publication will be handled by the Iowa public information board.
HF 2516 clarifies that counties and cities cannot treat battery-powered outdoor security alarm systems on nonresidential properties as fences or impose fence permits. It prohibits local regulations that ban or restrict these systems, provided they meet specific requirements: using certified equipment (meeting IEC standard 60335-2-76), being at least 10 feet high or 2 feet above a 5-foot non-electric fence, and displaying "WARNING - ELECTRIC FENCE" signs every 30 feet. The bill does not apply to residential properties, and local governments may still require standard alarm system operator licenses. This directly affects businesses and property owners using these security systems on nonresidential sites.
SF 2419, titled the "Third-Party Litigation Funding Transparency Act," regulates third-party funding of consumer legal claims in Iowa. It requires consumer litigation funding companies to register with the state, provide clear written contracts in everyday language, and fully disclose all fees and terms to consumers before funding. The law specifically affects companies providing nonrecourse funding for personal injury, medical malpractice, or similar civil claims, while excluding nonprofits, health insurers, standard loans, and attorneys working on contingency fees. Key provisions mandate that funding agreements must detail all charges (including interest and administrative fees), prohibit certain arrangements with attorneys, and include a 3-day right to cancel the contract.
SF 2439 prohibits local building codes from requiring fire sprinkler systems in new attached single-family homes of 18,000 square feet or less and new detached single-family homes of 6,500 square feet or less. The bill mandates that the state building code must include this prohibition, overriding any local regulations that might have required sprinklers in these specific property types. It directly affects homeowners and builders constructing qualifying small single-family residences in Iowa by eliminating a mandatory sprinkler system requirement. The policy change simplifies building code compliance for these properties without altering fire safety standards for larger residential developments.
HF 2702, the "Iowa Surface Owners Protection Act," requires oil and gas operators to notify landowners (surface owners) at least 90 days before starting new operations on their property, providing detailed plans and a proposed compensation agreement. Operators must compensate landowners for specific damages including crop loss, soil degradation, reduced land value, and lost access, and they must restore the land to its pre-operation condition after activities end. The bill mandates written surface use agreements covering aspects like well pad placement, water management, erosion control, and noise, with negotiations required before operators can proceed without an agreement. It applies to new operations starting July 1, 2026, directly affecting landowners and oil/gas operators conducting activities on agricultural or mineral-rich land.
