HF 2116 requires Iowa public schools and colleges to ensure all staff, contractors, and volunteers providing curriculum or training avoid teaching, promoting, or acting on stereotyping or scapegoating based on race, gender, or other demographic group identity. It mandates training for these individuals on the policy and prohibits using school funds, resources, or student time for any materials violating this rule. Parents, school employees, or residents can seek court orders to stop violations without proving personal harm. The bill updates existing education codes to clarify these requirements and enforcement mechanisms.
HF 2147 creates special vehicle registration decals for Iowans who earned specific U.S. military combat awards, including combat infantryman, combat action, and combat medical badges. It authorizes nonprofit veterans organizations (501(c)(19) status) to design and administer these decals, requiring the state to produce them after 250 orders for each design. Veterans with qualifying awards can apply for free special plates with these decals, paying only a $10 annual fee per pair of decals, with all fees directed to Iowa's veterans license fee fund. The bill directly affects eligible veterans, qualifying veterans nonprofits, and the Iowa Department of Transportation, which will manage the program.
SF 656 allows residential property owners in Iowa who qualify for homestead tax credits to temporarily stop using county or city-provided solid waste collection services for up to five consecutive months. To opt out, owners must submit a completed application at least eight weeks in advance, pay a $5 monthly fee (capped at $25 total), and provide proof of ownership. During the opt-out period, the county or city must suspend related fees, but services automatically resume after the period ends or if the owner sells the property. Property owners face civil penalties of up to $750 for false applications, and the opt-out cannot be used more than once per year. This bill directly affects qualifying homeowners seeking to reduce waste service costs temporarily.
SF 506 increases the allowable gross weight limit for vehicles transporting specific agricultural products on Iowa highways from 5% to 25% over the vehicle's registered weight. The bill expands the list of qualifying "raw farm products" to include manure, soybean meal (dried or wet), wet or dry distillers grains, and soil amendments (defined as substances improving soil characteristics, excluding fertilizers or pesticides). This change directly affects farmers and transport companies moving these qualifying goods, codifying and expanding an existing exemption that previously relied on Department of Transportation rules. The bill also clarifies that cracked or ground grain delivered directly between farms qualifies as a raw farm product.
SF 205 modifies Iowa's school calendar start date requirement for public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools. It changes the earliest possible start date from "no sooner than August 23" to "no sooner than the Monday immediately preceding the last Monday in August." The bill maintains existing requirements for a 180-day school year (or 1,080 hours), limits internet instruction to 5 days/30 hours, and mandates public hearings for calendar changes. This directly affects all Iowa school districts and accredited nonpublic schools by altering their permitted calendar start timing.
SF 510 allows Iowa public school districts to offer elective social studies courses focused on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), New Testament, or both to students in grades 9-12. School boards must approve such courses after a school improvement advisory committee recommends them by majority vote. The bill requires courses to teach biblical content, history, and cultural influence for understanding society, while mandating strict religious neutrality - prohibiting endorsement of any religion and requiring accommodation of diverse student perspectives. Students may use alternative Bible translations, and schools may display religious materials only if educationally appropriate and consistent with neutrality guidelines.
This bill (HSB 514) changes who must be involved in legal proceedings to remove information from Iowa's investment adviser registration records. Currently, the insurance commissioner or the investment adviser who reported the information may be named as a party; the bill makes the insurance commissioner mandatory as a respondent while allowing the investment adviser to be named optionally. It directly affects investment advisers seeking to expunge their records and the insurance commissioner overseeing the registration system. The key change clarifies the commissioner's required role in these expungement cases, streamlining the process for applicants.
This bill modifies Iowa's education requirements by updating statewide student assessments and creating new standards for gifted programs. It mandates that all students in grades 3-11 take annual math and English language arts assessments, with science tests for grades 5, 8, and 10-11. School districts must establish procedures to identify gifted students using multiple data sources (like test scores and teacher input) and develop an advanced math pathway to enable algebra I completion by grade nine. Additionally, districts must automatically enroll students scoring in the "advanced" range on math or ELA tests in more rigorous courses, with parent opt-out options, and implement subject/grade acceleration procedures.
SSB 3047 creates a pilot program allowing voters with disabilities that prevent hand-marking to independently and privately mark absentee ballots by mail using assistive technology like nonvisual or low-vision access tools. The program requires the state commissioner to establish rules enabling these voters to request absentee ballots by mail and to test the program in enough counties to assess statewide feasibility. The commissioner must submit annual reports to the legislature on the pilot’s progress and ends automatically on July 1, 2029. This bill directly affects voters with disabilities who cannot mark ballots by hand, ensuring greater accessibility for mail-in voting.
SSB 3032 would require Iowa state employers to provide paid leave for employees taking time off for the birth or adoption of a child, without needing prior eligibility under federal family leave law. It directly affects Iowa state employees who are new parents or adoptive parents, allowing them to receive paid leave within 12 months of a birth or adoption. The key change removes the current requirement that an employee must first qualify for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to receive state-paid parental leave. This policy would expand access to paid parental leave for more state workers who may not meet federal FMLA criteria. The bill was introduced in January 2026 and recommended for passage by a legislative subcommittee.
HF 2065 requires sex offenders convicted of a second or subsequent sex offense (including any previously expunged convictions) to register for life with no option to apply for removal from the registry. It mandates annual photo updates with specific requirements (facing camera, eyes open, no distortions) and requires retakes for poor-quality images. The bill also blocks modifications to registration terms for offenders with any history of sex offense recidivism, including expunged cases. These changes directly affect sex offenders in Iowa with multiple convictions who would otherwise qualify for registry removal.
This resolution (SR 103) is a ceremonial Senate measure recognizing Easterseals Iowa's 100th anniversary. It formally honors the organization for its century-long work supporting Iowans with disabilities through inclusion, advocacy, and community services. The resolution designates January 20, 2026, as "Easterseals Iowa Centennial Celebration Day" and expresses the Senate's appreciation for the organization's mission and contributions. This is a symbolic gesture with no new funding, programs, or legal requirements.
