Iowa Bills

died · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SF 2287: A bill for an act relating to the conduct of elections.

SF 2287 updates Iowa's election laws with several key changes. It requires law enforcement to immediately notify the state commissioner when investigating election misconduct (Section 2), allows voter registration cancellation after 90 days if incomplete and the voter can't be contacted (Section 3), and sets specific recount thresholds (e.g., less than 0.15% for statewide measures) with a 7-day deadline (Sections 4-5). The bill also mandates tamper-evident seals on all election equipment (Section 7) and updates rules for voting system testing and certification (Section 6). These changes directly affect election officials, voters, and election equipment providers. The bill passed committee but was later withdrawn after being attached to another measure.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2559: A bill for an act relating to the housing renewal pilot program, including repayments of interest and income, and recaptures or returns of financial assistance awards.

HF 2559 amends Iowa's housing renewal pilot program to redirect repayments (including interest, income from sales of ownership units, and recaptured funds) to the nonprofit Iowa affiliate managing the program, rather than to the state fund. It also changes the rule for inactive participants: if no project activity occurs within 12 months of a contract, the financial assistance award must be returned to the nonprofit affiliate for reuse, not to the state fund. The bill clarifies that homebuyers must have income at or below 120% of the area median income, occupy the home as their primary residence, and adhere to a five-year resale restriction preventing sales to higher-income buyers. These changes directly affect eligible participants, the nonprofit Iowa affiliate, and future housing assistance recipients under the program.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HSB 758: A bill for an act relating to evidence and burdens of proof in property tax assessment protests and appeals and including retroactive applicability provisions.

This bill changes property tax appeal rules for assessments beginning on or after January 1, 2026. If a property owner provides evidence showing their property's market value differs from the assessor's valuation, the tax authority must then prove its valuation is correct. It also establishes that for 2026+ assessments, a property's value is not considered equitable if it exceeds the median value of similar properties in the same area. The changes apply to tax years starting January 1, 2026, as specified in the bill's retroactive provision.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2511: A bill for an act relating to statewide resilience planning, including the development, implementation, and periodic updating of an Iowa state resilience plan.

HF 2511 requires Iowa's Flood Center to develop a statewide resilience plan by December 2028, coordinating with state agencies like Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Natural Resources. The plan must include a risk assessment for flooding and water supply changes, an inventory of critical infrastructure (like hospitals, roads, and water systems), and a method to prioritize resilience projects. It directly affects state agencies responsible for implementing the plan and local communities by guiding how state funds address flood risks and natural hazards. The bill mandates biennial progress reports to the governor and legislature to track implementation of the plan's recommendations.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2026

SF 2461: A bill for an act establishing continuing appropriations in fiscal years for which annual appropriations have not been enacted.

SF 2461 ensures state government operations continue if the legislature fails to pass the annual budget by July 1. It automatically carries over the previous fiscal year's funding amounts for state agencies and departments, based on actual spending and transfers documented by the Department of Management. The bill applies to ongoing appropriations (like salaries and routine operations) but excludes one-time projects (e.g., infrastructure funds) and any funding explicitly excluded by law. It maintains existing spending limits, reporting requirements, and nonreversion rules from the prior year, adjusted for the new fiscal year. This prevents service disruptions by providing a temporary funding mechanism until a full budget is enacted.

passed · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2330: A bill for an act relating to public records requests.

HF 2330 modifies Iowa's public records law to improve access for requesters. It requires government offices (custodians) to acknowledge written, phone, or electronic requests "promptly" and provide contact details for their designee within reasonable time. Custodians must also give requesters an estimated timeline for responses, an estimate of any reasonable fees (capped at 30 minutes of work for free copies), and notice of expected delays. The bill ensures requesters can contest fee reasonableness and mandates clear communication about costs and timelines before processing requests.

passed · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2565: A bill for an act establishing a human trafficking investigative task force.

HF 2565 establishes the Iowa Human Trafficking Task Force within the Department of Public Safety to coordinate statewide efforts against human trafficking. The task force will operate across four geographic quadrants (divided by I-35 and I-80) with specialized staff including investigators, victim advocates, cybercrime specialists, and a deputy director. It will serve as the primary contact for trafficking reports, develop data-sharing strategies, oversee statewide training, and submit annual reports to the legislature. The bill also creates a dedicated special prosecution team within the Attorney General’s office to handle trafficking-related cases. This law directly affects law enforcement agencies (required to assist the task force), human trafficking victims (through specialized support), and prosecutors handling trafficking cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 2247: A bill for an act relating to forms of payment for entry into an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition.

HF 2247 requires Iowa public schools and registered athletic organizations to accept cash or coins (legal tender) for entry fees to interscholastic sports events. This applies specifically to events sponsored by organizations registered with the Iowa Department of Education. The bill does not affect schools not part of such organizations.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 3, 2026

HF 327: A bill for an act creating an advanced registered nurse practitioner preceptor tax credit available against the individual income tax, and including applicability provisions.

HF 327 creates a tax credit for Iowa residents who serve as clinical preceptors for advanced registered nurse practitioner students. The credit provides $1,000 per clinical preceptorship (involving at least 100 hours of supervised learning) with a maximum $2,000 annual credit, directly affecting licensed nurse practitioners who mentor students without compensation. To qualify, preceptors must be employed at the clinical site, selected by the nursing program, and have at least one year of mentoring experience. The credit is refundable if it exceeds tax liability, and preceptors must document student details including hours and program information. The bill applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

died · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 2281: A bill for an act modifying the time periods alcoholic beverages may be sold, dispensed, or consumed at commercial service airports.

HF 2281 modifies Iowa's alcohol sales rules at commercial service airports by allowing alcohol to be sold, dispensed, or consumed between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. during specific flight boarding periods. The bill creates an exception to the current 2 a.m.-6 a.m. ban, permitting alcohol service starting one hour before a scheduled flight through the end of boarding. It applies only to airports meeting federal criteria (at least 2,500 annual passenger boardings with scheduled flights). The change directly affects licensed vendors at qualifying Iowa airports during these flight-related time windows.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SF 2403: A bill for an act relating to incentives for whole grade sharing and school district reorganization or dissolution.

This Iowa bill (SF 2403) extends financial incentives for school districts considering merging, reorganizing, or dissolving by July 1, 2031. It provides extra state funding (supplementary weighting) to districts with students attending classes in another district through whole-grade sharing agreements, calculated as one-tenth of the percentage of a student’s day spent outside their home district. Districts studying reorganization or dissolution by 2031 can receive this funding for up to three years, with continued eligibility for three years post-reorganization if they meet progress requirements. The bill directly affects Iowa school districts and students participating in shared educational arrangements, aiming to support consolidation efforts through targeted funding adjustments.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 2, 2026

SF 2382: A bill for an act relating to operating all-terrain vehicles on highways, and making penalties applicable.

SF 2382 modifies Iowa's laws regarding all-terrain vehicle (ATV) operation on highways. It allows registered ATVs on specific undivided primary and secondary roads (not part of the interstate system) for travel between agricultural areas, parks, or residences, and permits agricultural use during farming activities (including stopping for fuel or food). The bill sets a 35 mph speed limit for ATVs on highways, prohibits operation by under-18s except for agricultural use, and requires ATVs to meet standard vehicle equipment rules like lights. It directly affects ATV owners, farmers, and local governments managing road access, while prohibiting cities and counties from charging fees for ATV use on their roads.

Bill results