Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2026

HSB 734: A bill for an act authorizing cities to establish self-supported tourism improvement districts.

This bill allows Iowa cities, counties, and townships to create self-supported tourism improvement districts. It authorizes local governments to impose assessments on lodging businesses (such as hotels and resorts) to fund tourism promotion, events, marketing, and infrastructure improvements that directly benefit those businesses. Key provisions include requiring public hearings and a petition from owners covering over 50% of proposed assessments, permitting different fees based on business categories or zones within the district, and ensuring district funds supplement - never replace - existing tourism funding. The bill defines terms like "assessment" (a fee tied to benefits) and specifies that district plans must detail boundaries, funding methods, and activity purposes.

passed · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SR 109: A resolution recognizing the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Clark and honoring his legacy.

This resolution (SR 109) honors Alexander Clark, an Iowa civil rights pioneer, by recognizing the 200th anniversary of his birth on February 25, 2026. It commemorates his legacy as a key figure who fought against racial discrimination, integrated Iowa schools decades before Brown v. Board, and served as the U.S. Minister to Liberia. The resolution does not create new laws or affect specific policies, but formally acknowledges Clark's contributions to Iowa's history and the pursuit of equality.

passed · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SR 108: A resolution honoring the enduring special relationship between the state of Iowa and Taiwan.

This symbolic resolution expresses Iowa's support for its longstanding relationship with Taiwan, referencing trade ties since 1989, the 2024 economic cooperation agreement, and Taiwan's role as a key export market for Iowa agriculture. It reaffirms Iowa's backing for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations and opposes efforts to limit Taiwan's global engagement, particularly regarding UN Resolution 2758. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new policies or directly affect any group.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SF 2223: A bill for an act relating to career education, including by modifying provisions related to career academies, the collective statewide articulation agreement between community colleges and the state board of regents, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, and individual career and academic plans.

SF 2223 modifies Iowa's career education system to better align high school programs with workforce needs. It requires the workforce development board and community colleges to create statewide and regional lists of high-demand jobs, which will guide apprenticeships, scholarships, and summer programs. The bill updates credit transfer agreements between community colleges and four-year universities to prioritize seamless transfer of career and technical education credits. Additionally, it expands funding for high school students taking college-level classes at community colleges through concurrent enrollment programs.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2026

HF 2666: A bill for an act relating to the practice of licensed professions and the duties of the professional licensing boards, including applications, renewals, and fees, and including applicability provisions.

HF 2666 revises licensing procedures for professionals like electricians and other licensed occupations in Iowa. It requires all fees for licenses, examinations, and inspections to be deposited into a specific "licensing and regulation fund" and mandates that fee amounts reflect actual operational costs. The bill creates an "inactive master electrician license" option with conditions for future reinstatement, including continuing education requirements, and updates board meeting rules to prevent the licensing director from serving as board chair. These changes directly affect licensed professionals, licensing boards, and applicants navigating renewal and fee processes.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2026

HF 2726: A bill for an act relating to testing for communicable diseases for certain persons who have committed an assault against a member of a protected occupation, and including penalties.

This Iowa bill (HF 2726) strengthens penalties for assaults against specific public safety and health workers (like police, nurses, correctional staff, and firefighters) and adds a new requirement for disease testing. It defines "protected occupations" and classifies assaults on these workers as serious crimes (felonies or aggravated misdemeanors) based on circumstances like weapon use or injury. Crucially, if a victim contacts bodily fluids (blood, saliva, etc.) during an assault and suspects the perpetrator may have a communicable disease, they can request a court-ordered medical test of the perpetrator. The medical professional conducting the test must then share results directly with the victim as soon as possible. This provision applies specifically to assaults where bodily fluid exposure occurred, focusing on victim safety and transparency.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SF 2203: A bill for an act relating to the verification of United States citizenship of persons registering to vote and registered voters.

This bill requires Iowa's state voter registrar to verify the U.S. citizenship of all registered voters using the federal USCIS database (or its successor). County election officials must notify voters if citizenship isn't confirmed, giving them 90 days to submit proof or cancel their registration. Unconfirmed registrations without proof after 90 days will be canceled. The verification applies monthly for new voters and annually for all existing voters.

passed · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2026

HR 108: A resolution honoring the enduring special relationship between the state of Iowa and Taiwan.

This resolution (HR 108) is a symbolic statement by the Iowa House of Representatives affirming Iowa's longstanding economic and diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It highlights existing cooperation, including Taiwan as a major export market for Iowa agriculture ($8.46 billion in exports from 2021-2024), the Iowa-Taiwan Memorandum of Understanding, and shared democratic values. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally expresses support for continued bilateral partnership, Taiwan's international engagement, and peace in the Taiwan Strait. It was adopted by the Iowa House on February 25, 2026.

passed · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SF 2224: A bill for an act relating to computer science education, including by modifying provisions related to standards for computer science education, the curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions.

SF 2224 requires all Iowa public high schools (grades 9-12) to include artificial intelligence fundamentals in computer science courses, mandating instruction on what AI is, how it works, and its societal impacts. It updates graduation requirements to mandate a half-unit of computer science starting in 2022, allowing schools to fulfill part of this requirement through applied science, technology, engineering, or manufacturing courses. The bill also adds new standards for teacher preparation programs, requiring future educators to complete training in AI and computational thinking relevant to their grade level. These changes apply to all Iowa public schools and teacher training institutions, directly affecting students, educators, and curriculum developers. The law modifies existing education codes (sections 256.7, 256.11, and 256.16) to implement these requirements.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SSB 3034: A bill for an act relating to state and local government taxes, budgets, and authority, by modifying provisions relating to the assessment and taxation of property, funding from the secure an advanced vision for education fund, the election of certain county officers, urban renewal areas and urban revitalization areas, establishing a rent reimbursement program, establishing a program for certain first-time homebuyers, establishing a local government shared-services grant fund, making appropriations, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.

SSB 3034 establishes new limits on local government property tax levies and reserve funds for budgets certified after July 1, 2027. It caps the maximum property tax levy at 102% of the prior year's total plus new valuation growth (from construction, boundary changes, etc.), and restricts unassigned general fund reserves to no more than 10% of budgeted expenditures. These rules apply to cities, counties, and other local governments (excluding school districts), with the Department of Management overseeing compliance. The bill also modifies audit requirements to verify adherence to these financial limits.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HSB 689: A bill for an act relating to budgets of local emergency management agencies and including applicability provisions.

This bill modifies how local emergency management agencies in Iowa fund their budgets. It requires that if a county uses a "countywide special levy" (as defined in another law), the board of supervisors must approve it - previously, the emergency management commission could decide this alone. The change directly affects counties managing emergency services, altering their budget approval process for one specific funding method. The law applies to budgets starting July 1, 2027.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2026

HF 2311: A bill for an act relating to the use of specie as legal tender.

HF 2311 designates physical gold and silver (called "specie") as legal tender in Iowa, meaning residents can use it for transactions, though businesses aren’t required to accept it. The bill creates a system where the Iowa treasurer must approve secure bullion depositories (for storing gold/silver) and electronic payment systems to process specie-based transactions, while requiring insurance for deposits and banning state use of these systems for social credit scoring. It also exempts all gold/silver exchanges from state sales, income, and other taxes. The law specifically excludes digital currencies and federal monetary systems from its provisions.

Bill results