Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 245: A bill for an act relating to the establishment of satellite absentee voting stations on school property.

This bill requires Iowa county election officials to reject petitions for satellite absentee voting stations located on school property if the election ballot includes school-related funding questions (like bonds or levies). It directly affects county election commissioners who must follow this rule when processing station requests. The key provision adds a specific rejection criterion to existing election law, automatically disqualifying such petitions when school funding measures appear on the ballot. This policy change prevents satellite voting stations from being established on school grounds during elections involving school district funding decisions.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 304: A bill for an act relating to rate-regulated utilities, including telecommunications and electronic transmission services.

HF 304 modifies Iowa's utility regulations to focus telecommunications oversight on services for incarcerated people and simplify franchise applications. It restricts the definition of "alternative operator services" to only include telecommunications provided to incarcerated persons in correctional facilities, requiring these services to be approved by the Utilities Commission through tariffs. The bill also removes the requirement for a specific form, chair's signature, and official seal when applying for electric transmission line franchises, while still mandating applicants provide project details and terms. These changes directly affect telecommunications companies serving correctional facilities and entities seeking transmission franchises.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 81: A bill for an act relating to paternity and the obligation of parents for support of children.

This Iowa bill (SF 81) clarifies and expands who can seek child support from a father after paternity is established. It allows the child’s mother, third parties who provided support to the mother, or child welfare authorities (if a child might become a public charge) to file claims. Key changes include enabling enforcement against a father’s estate after death and specifying that paternity established through court, genetic testing, or written acknowledgment creates enforceable support obligations. The bill also adds procedural details, such as requiring court approval for post-birth trials and allowing testimony from deceased mothers via deposition. It directly affects children, mothers, fathers, and third parties who have provided financial support.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HSB 562: A bill for an act creating a study committee on the feasibility of implementing wildlife crossings at certain highway locations.

HSB 562 creates a temporary study committee within Iowa's Department of Transportation to examine the feasibility of building wildlife crossings (like overpasses or underpasses) at highway locations with high rates of animal-vehicle collisions. The committee, including transportation, natural resources, and university experts, must analyze crash data, traffic volume, and animal habitats to rank high-risk locations and recommend solutions. It will also assess costs, crash-reduction benefits, and strategies to access federal funding for potential future projects. The committee must submit a final report to the legislature by January 2027, but the bill does not authorize actual construction or funding. This is a preparatory study, not a direct policy change.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SF 2110: A bill for an act relating to the natural organic reduction of human remains.

This bill establishes regulations for businesses offering "human composting" (natural organic reduction), which converts human remains into soil. It requires facilities to obtain a license from Iowa's board of mortuary science, meet specific facility standards (including secure refrigeration and processing equipment), and follow strict handling procedures for bodies and remains. The law directly affects funeral homes and new composting businesses, requiring written authorization from decedents' designees, prohibiting commingling of remains, and mandating tracking systems. Key provisions include a $425 license fee, annual renewal requirements, and rules for accepting bodies only from licensed funeral homes.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SF 2104: A bill for an act relating to water usage reporting requirements for large water use facilities.

SF 2104 requires large water use facilities in Iowa to report annual water usage to the Department of Natural Resources. It specifically targets facilities using 25,000+ gallons per day primarily engaged in data processing (NAICS 518210), ethyl alcohol manufacturing (NAICS 325193), or cryptocurrency mining. Each covered facility must submit detailed water usage reports by March 31 each year. The bill establishes a straightforward reporting obligation without altering water usage limits or imposing new restrictions.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2041: A bill for an act relating to state law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration and customs enforcement.

HF 2041 requires all Iowa law enforcement agencies and officers to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration agencies when requested. The bill mandates that if a law enforcement agency holds someone subject to an ICE detainer request, it must fully comply with the instructions in that request. This directly affects Iowa police departments, sheriffs' offices, and jail staff who would need to follow federal immigration detainer procedures. The key provision is the mandatory compliance with federal immigration detainer requests, shifting responsibility for processing such requests to state law enforcement. The bill does not create new penalties but requires state agencies to act on federal immigration requests.

Topics ✗ Immigration

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SSB 3071: A bill for an act relating to state law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration and customs enforcement.

This bill requires Iowa police and jail staff to cooperate with federal immigration officials upon request and to comply with formal federal holds on individuals. It directly affects all local law enforcement agencies and detention facilities in Iowa. The key provision mandates that state agencies follow immigration detainer requests from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or similar federal entities. The bill is currently under review by the Workforce Subcommittee after introduction in January 2026.

Topics ✗ Immigration

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SF 2082: A bill for an act relating to implied consent to test specimens of a person’s blood, breath, or urine following a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, and making penalties applicable.

This Iowa bill (SF 2082) changes implied consent rules for drivers involved in fatal car accidents. It deems drivers who cause accidents resulting in death to have automatically consented to blood, breath, or urine tests for alcohol or drugs, removing the prior requirement that officers must have reasonable suspicion of intoxication at the time of the crash. The bill updates license revocation penalties for refusing testing or testing positive under these circumstances, maintaining existing timelines (e.g., 60 days for first offense with a .02-.08 BAC). It applies directly to drivers in fatal collisions, not to other accident types or testing scenarios.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2097: A bill for an act relating to immunization information requested on a medical examiner report used for investigations.

HF 2097 requires medical examiners investigating infant deaths (ages zero to three) to include specific immunization details in their reports. The bill mandates that reports request the date and type of the decedent’s last vaccination, and if multiple shots were given at once, all must be listed. This affects medical examiners and healthcare providers who supply immunization records during these investigations. The state medical examiner must later develop implementing rules under Iowa’s administrative procedures.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2150: A bill for an act relating to the use of artificial intelligence for purposes associated with elections, ballot issues, and public officials, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2150 requires AI-generated content advocating for or against election candidates or ballot issues to clearly disclose it was created using artificial intelligence (e.g., "this material was generated using AI"). It prohibits AI from creating fake endorsements of candidates or ballot measures and bans using AI to depict candidates engaging in unlikely behavior, staging non-existent events, or manipulating depictions of major events to influence elections or public opinion. The bill also restricts sharing third-party AI content without making a good-faith effort to remove it and disclose its AI origin. Violations can result in fines up to $50,000 for political committees or $5,000 for candidates/public officials, with penalties deposited into the state general fund.

Topics ✗ Technology

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2160: A bill for an act relating to the payment of personal and home security expenses from campaign funds, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2160 allows Iowa political candidates and their committees to use campaign funds for reasonable personal and home security expenses, including costs for firearms, equipment, and training. Candidates must maintain detailed logs of each expense (date, provider, cost) and include total security costs in campaign finance reports, preserving these records for five years. Violations of this rule could result in civil penalties up to $2,000 or criminal charges for willful breaches. The bill directly affects candidates and their committees managing campaign finances in Iowa.

Bill results