Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2156: A bill for an act relating to the eligibility of certain individuals employed by educational institutions for unemployment insurance benefits between two successive academic years or terms.

HF 2156 modifies Iowa's unemployment insurance rules for educational staff employed between academic terms. It removes the current provision that allowed workers to receive retroactive benefits if they had "reasonable assurance" of returning to the same role but were not rehired. Under this bill, individuals performing services for an educational institution before a vacation or holiday break are ineligible for unemployment benefits during that break, even if they had assurance of continued work afterward. This change directly affects non-instructional, non-research, and non-principal administrative staff at schools who might otherwise qualify for benefits during academic transitions. The bill does not create new funding requirements, as school districts will cover costs using existing state foundation aid.

Topics ✗ Education ✗ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2164: A bill for an act relating to the casting of provisional ballots by persons registering to vote on election day or when casting an in-person absentee ballot.

HF 2164 requires voters registering to vote on election day or casting an in-person absentee ballot to cast a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot if their eligibility cannot be verified immediately. The absentee and special voters precinct board must later verify the voter's eligibility - specifically checking if they have a felony conviction without restored voting rights - before counting the ballot. This changes current law, which allowed some voters to cast regular ballots if electronic verification was possible at the polling place. The bill directly affects voters registering or voting in person on election day who cannot prove eligibility through electronic means.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2151: A bill for an act making appropriations to the department of education for the therapeutic classroom incentive grant program.

This bill allocates $5 million from Iowa's general fund to the Department of Education for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to establish a therapeutic classroom incentive grant program. It directly provides funding to school districts to create therapeutic classrooms for students aged 3 to 21 whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with their success in regular school settings. The program enables school districts to receive grants to set up specialized classrooms designed to support these students' learning and development. The funding is specifically designated for this purpose and cannot be used for other educational programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2166: A bill for an act relating to voter records created and retained by the state commissioner of elections.

HF 2166 requires Iowa's state commissioner of elections to create a record of all voter registration data for every voter who cast a ballot in each election, organized by county, within 60 days after the election. This record must be retained for eight years and made available electronically at no cost to the public upon request (with physical storage options for very large files). The bill directly affects voters whose data is included in the record and the public seeking access to election-related voter registration information. It establishes a new procedural requirement for preserving and providing access to historical voter registration data.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2152: A bill for an act repealing the school tuition organization tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes and including effective date provisions.

HF 2152 repeals Iowa's school tuition organization (STO) tax credit program, which allowed taxpayers to reduce their individual or corporate income tax by 75% of donations to private schools. Starting July 1, 2026, new contributions to STOs will no longer qualify for this credit, and the annual credit limit for 2026 is reduced to $10 million (down from $20 million). The program is fully repealed effective July 1, 2032, ending all future use of the credit. This directly affects Iowa taxpayers and businesses that previously claimed this credit against their state income tax bills.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2159: A bill for an act designating kava as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

This Iowa bill (HF 2159) reclassifies kava - a plant substance used recreationally - as a Schedule I controlled substance under state law. It directly affects anyone possessing kava in Iowa, with penalties escalating based on prior offenses: a first-time offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and $2,560 fine), subsequent offenses are aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, $8,540 fine), and three or more prior convictions make it a class D felony (up to 5 years, $10,245 fine). The bill defines kava broadly to include all parts of the *piper methysticum* plant and synthetic equivalents. It does not change federal scheduling but imposes state-level criminal penalties for possession. The bill was introduced to the Public Safety committee on January 26, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SF 2051: A bill for an act relating to the elimination of the exemption of gaming floors from the prohibitions of the smokefree air Act.

SF 2051 removes an exception that previously allowed smoking on gaming floors at venues licensed under Iowa law, such as casinos, racetracks, and gambling boats. The bill amends the Smokefree Air Act to apply its smoking ban to the entire premises of these facilities, eliminating the prior exemption for gaming areas. This change directly affects all licensed gaming venues in Iowa by requiring them to enforce a complete smoking ban throughout their entire property, not just in certain sections. The bill does not change other aspects of the Smokefree Air Act or create new enforcement mechanisms.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2134: A bill for an act relating to rental agreements and early termination rights of tenants who are victims of certain crimes.

This bill allows tenants who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, elder abuse, or certain other qualifying crimes to terminate rental agreements early without penalty. To do so, tenants must provide written notice to their landlord with specific documentation, such as a protective order, police report, or certified medical documentation from a healthcare provider. Landlords cannot charge fees, report negative credit information, or refuse to rent based on this termination right. Tenants remain responsible for rent through the termination date but are not liable for future rent if the unit is re-rented, and cannot be charged for forfeiting deposits.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2155: A bill for an act relating to mandatory minimum sentences for certain criminal offenses, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2155 modifies parole eligibility for specific criminal convictions in Iowa. It requires offenders convicted of certain offenses - including forcible felonies involving dangerous weapons, habitual offender cases, methamphetamine crimes involving minors, child endangerment, and repeat domestic abuse assaults - to serve at least half their sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The bill replaces previous fixed minimum terms (like 5 years or 10 years) with a requirement to serve one-half of the total sentence. These changes directly affect individuals convicted under the specified offenses, altering when they may qualify for parole or work release. The bill does not change the total sentence length but adjusts the portion that must be served before parole consideration.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2153: A bill for an act requiring community colleges, school districts, and institutions under the control of the state board of regents to adopt policies related to the use of artificial intelligence by students and employees.

HF 2153 requires Iowa community colleges, school districts, and state-controlled higher education institutions to adopt AI usage policies by July 1, 2028. These policies must specify when students and staff may use artificial intelligence during classwork and job duties, include prohibitions on certain uses, and define AI as any machine system generating outputs like content or decisions. Institutions must publish their policies online and submit copies to the state education department or board of regents. The bill applies directly to all students, faculty, and staff at these educational institutions across Iowa.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2165: A bill for an act relating to the casting of ballots by absent voters.

HF 2165 modifies Iowa's absentee voting process to standardize ballot handling and return procedures. It requires absentee ballots to be mailed in a specific envelope system (including affidavit, delivery, and return envelopes with matching serial numbers) and sets a strict deadline: ballots must be received by the county commissioner's office by 5:00 p.m. the day before election day, either via mail (postmarked by that date) or delivered in person. This directly affects Iowa voters who request absentee ballots, changing how they must package, sign, and return their ballots. The bill clarifies verification steps and adds a secrecy envelope requirement if ballots cannot be folded to hide votes.

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 439: A bill for an act relating to citizenship or immigration status for purposes of a driver’s license or nonoperator’s identification card, and including applicability provisions.

HF 439 requires all applicants for Iowa driver's licenses or nonoperator ID cards (including renewals) to declare their citizenship status - either as a U.S. citizen or as a noncitizen authorized to be in the U.S. The Iowa Department of Transportation must then display this status on the back of the license or ID card. This applies to all new applications and renewals submitted on or after the bill's effective date. The bill does not change immigration requirements but mandates this status disclosure for identification documents.

Bill results