Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2311: A bill for an act providing for education on the holocaust for students and teachers in school districts.

SF 2311 requires Iowa public school districts to incorporate age-appropriate Holocaust education into middle and high school curricula by the 2027 school year. The bill mandates that this instruction - integrated into existing courses - cover specific topics including the Holocaust's causes, history of antisemitism, U.S. military roles in defeating Nazi Germany, and connections to modern discrimination. School districts must also provide teacher training on these topics as part of professional development, using resources from approved organizations like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Iowa Department of Education will annually report on district compliance to the governor and legislature.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2455: A bill for an act relating to abortions after detection of a fetal heartbeat.

HF 2455 repeals Iowa's existing law that prohibited abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected through medical testing. This bill removes the legal restriction on physicians performing abortions following the detection of a fetal heartbeat. The repeal would directly affect medical providers and patients seeking abortion care in Iowa by eliminating this specific prohibition.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2251: A bill for an act relating to the authority of combined recreational lake and water quality districts when issuing bonds.

SF 2251 removes the requirement for combined recreational lake and water quality districts in Iowa to hold elections to approve most debt, aligning their bond-issuing authority with that of cities. The bill amends Iowa law to state these districts now follow the same bond rules as cities under state statutes (including chapters 76 and 384), meaning they may issue bonds without voter approval for most projects, though city-level rules may still sometimes require it. This change directly affects districts managing recreational lakes and water quality projects, streamlining their ability to finance infrastructure improvements like parks or water treatment facilities.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2458: A bill for an act establishing the teacher and para-educator grant program within the department of workforce development, and making appropriations.

HF 2458 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Workforce Development to help two groups: high school students pursuing a para-educator certificate and associate degree, and current para-educators seeking a bachelor's degree. The program provides financial assistance for education costs and is funded by a $3.5 million appropriation for fiscal year 2026-2027. It also allows prior work experience through this grant program to count toward the 14-week student teaching requirement for education students. The bill requires the Department of Workforce Development to administer the program in consultation with the Department of Education.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2456: A bill for an act relating to employment of persons with disabilities.

HF 2456 prohibits Iowa employers from paying disabled workers less than the state minimum wage after July 1, 2027, except for nonprofit sheltered workshops (which retain this exception until July 1, 2028). It establishes state policy that competitive and integrated employment should be the first choice for disabled workers seeking jobs, directing all state agencies to prioritize this approach in their employment programs. The bill does not require employers to hire disabled workers but mandates that state-supported employment services focus on helping disabled individuals work in regular workplaces at fair wages. This affects disabled workers, employers, and state agencies providing job support services.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2471: A bill for an act relating to electronic monitoring device requirements and health care facilities, including health care facility violations, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2471 allows residents in Iowa health care facilities to install electronic monitoring devices (like cameras or audio recorders) in their rooms, with specific requirements. Facilities must obtain written consent from all roommates before installation, and if consent is denied, must try to move the resident to a different room. The bill prohibits facilities from retaliating against residents who use these devices and requires them to post notices about monitoring in rooms. Residents or their legal representatives cover all costs for purchasing, installing, and maintaining the devices. This directly affects residents seeking privacy or safety measures and health care facilities managing room accommodations.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2467: A bill for an act establishing a service animal training grant program for veterans, providing fees, and making appropriations.

HF 2467 establishes a service animal training grant program for Iowa veterans. It appropriates $100,000 annually from the veterans trust fund to provide grants of up to $5,000 per eligible veteran (limited to one grant per veteran's lifetime) to cover costs of service animal training services provided by accredited organizations. The Department of Veterans Affairs administers the program, requiring accredited organizations to meet specific standards and verify grant usage. Unspent funds at year-end are distributed equally among awarded veterans, and the department may charge accredited organizations a fee to cover administrative costs. This program directly affects Iowa veterans with service animal training needs who meet department eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2244: A bill for an act relating to the education savings account program, including the establishment and requirements of qualified nonpublic schools.

SF 2244 amends Iowa's education savings account program to establish clearer rules for qualified nonpublic schools and increase transparency. It requires these schools to meet accreditation standards, adhere to teacher licensing rules, and report student admissions/denials confidentially. The bill also mandates third-party administrators to submit detailed annual reports on fund spending (including educational materials and services) and undergo annual audits. School districts must notify families of approved students and report enrollment data, while contracts with vendors must include competitive bidding and limit fees to 3% of funds. These changes directly affect families using savings accounts, participating nonpublic schools, and third-party program administrators.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2321: A bill for an act repealing the education savings account program.

This bill repeals Iowa's education savings account program, which provided state-funded vouchers to families for nonpublic school expenses like tuition, tutoring, and learning materials. It removes the program from state law (repealing Section 257.11B) and adjusts related funding calculations in school finance codes to exclude students who previously used these accounts. The program directly affected families enrolling children in nonpublic schools who received these state-funded payments. The bill makes no new funding changes but eliminates the program's structure and its impact on school district cost formulas.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2307: A bill for an act establishing the criminal offense of felony rental vandalism, addressing state supplementary assistance, and providing penalties.

SF 2307 establishes "felony rental vandalism" for tenants or occupants who cause over $1,000 in damage to rental properties through criminal mischief or intentional pest infestations. It classifies this as a felony, requiring courts to notify health and human services departments of convictions. The bill blocks eligibility for state supplementary assistance (like housing aid) until the offender pays full restitution to the landlord or completes jail time, except for child assistance or emergency medical aid. It also extends this ineligibility to federal housing assistance under Section 8 of the Housing Act, where federal law permits, without risking state funding loss.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✗ Housing

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2525: A bill for an act creating tax deductions against the individual income tax for veterinarians by providing a deduction for income resulting from rural veterinarian loan repayments and by allowing a deduction for the amount of interest paid on student loans for attendance at a veterinary school, and including retroactive applicability provisions.

HF 2525 creates two tax deductions for Iowa veterinarians: (1) a deduction for income from rural veterinary loan repayment programs (capped at $15,000 yearly/$60,000 lifetime), and (2) a deduction for all interest paid on veterinary school student loans (if the vet practiced in Iowa that year). The bill excludes the student loan interest deduction if a vet is simultaneously receiving rural loan repayments. To qualify, veterinarians must practice in Iowa (details to be set by the Department of Revenue), and the bill applies retroactively to tax years beginning January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2524: A bill for an act relating to city finances.

This bill changes how small Iowa cities must review their finances. Cities with fewer than 2,000 residents and annual budgets under $1 million must now undergo formal financial audits every five years (previously, they had periodic checks every eight years). It also requires these cities to include detailed credit and debit card spending records in their public financial reports. The changes apply specifically to cities meeting these population and budget thresholds, with no impact on larger cities or school district audits.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results