Iowa Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2405: A bill for an act creating a study committee on advanced air mobility.

HF 2405 creates a study committee within Iowa's Department of Transportation to evaluate whether an advisory committee is needed to support planning for advanced air mobility (electric aircraft like eVTOLs for urban transportation). The committee, including aviation experts, industry representatives, and stakeholders, must report by January 11, 2027, on whether an advisory committee is necessary. If one is established, it will review state laws, assess costs, create planning resources, and coordinate with utilities and local governments before reporting to the legislature by January 10, 2028. The bill expires July 1, 2028.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2453: A bill for an act relating to school district general fund flexibility accounts by expanding eligible uses to include costs to expand preschool programs.

HF 2453 allows Iowa school districts to use existing general fund flexibility accounts for costs to expand preschool programs for four-year-olds. This directly affects school districts by expanding the permitted uses of funds they already manage under state law. The bill amends Section 298A.2, subsection 2, paragraph c, subparagraph (1) to specifically include "start-up costs and costs to expand" approved local preschool programs. The key change is redirecting current flexibility funds toward preschool expansion without creating new state funding.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2375: A bill for an act relating to conventional human drivers physically present in certain driverless-capable vehicles, and making penalties applicable. Effective date: 07/01/2026.

HF 2375 requires a human driver to be physically present in self-driving vehicles used for commercial purposes (like delivery services or ride-hailing) in Iowa, while allowing driverless operation for personal use. The human driver must monitor the vehicle, intervene manually if needed (including stopping the vehicle), hold a valid driver's license with required commercial endorsements (like a CDL), and follow all vehicle safety laws. This directly affects commercial operators of autonomous vehicles, ensuring human oversight during operations. The bill builds on existing Iowa law that already permits driverless vehicles without humans for personal use, adding this specific requirement for commercial applications.

Topics ✗ Technology ✓ Transportation

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2194: A bill for an act relating to the peace officer, public safety, and emergency personnel bill of rights.

SF 2194 amends Iowa law to strengthen procedural protections for peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other public safety personnel during disciplinary investigations. The bill requires agencies to provide officers with written complaint summaries and access to relevant evidence (like incident reports and recordings) before interviews, allows officers to have legal counsel or union representatives present during investigations, and mandates audio recording of all investigative interviews. It also prohibits using statements obtained in violation of these procedures against officers for disciplinary action. The bill directly affects certified public safety personnel facing formal administrative investigations across Iowa.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2442: A bill for an act providing for the repair of certain equipment associated with farm implements, and providing penalties.

HF 2442, the "Iowa Fair Repair for Farm Implements Act," requires original farm equipment manufacturers to provide diagnostic and repair information, including embedded software updates, to independent repair shops and farm equipment owners at no extra cost - on terms equal to those offered to the manufacturer's own authorized repair providers. It directly affects farmers (as "interest holders"), independent repair businesses, and manufacturers of farm implements containing digital electronic equipment. Key provisions mandate that manufacturers make this information available in standardized formats, prohibit forcing repair providers to use proprietary systems if standardized options exist, and define "fair and reasonable terms" for any potential charges. The law aims to increase repair accessibility and affordability for agricultural operations across Iowa.

introduced · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2495: A bill for an act relating to use of and reporting requirements related to forfeited weapons.

HF 2495 modifies Iowa law regarding seized weapons and ammunition. It allows the Iowa Department of Public Safety to sell or transfer non-illegal, non-offensive weapons and ammunition to law enforcement agencies (with approval) instead of only destroying them. The bill also requires the Department to conduct an annual audit tracking all forfeited weapons, documenting their use and location. This directly affects law enforcement agencies that may receive transferred weapons and the Department of Public Safety, which must now manage disposal and maintain detailed records. The changes update how seized property is handled and reported, focusing on transparency and practical use.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2474: A bill for an act relating to reimbursement for certain audit expenses to the auditor of state.

HF 2474 requires Iowa state departments and agencies to reimburse the Auditor of State for costs incurred during audits or examinations of their operations. It applies to departments like health, education, transportation, and veterans affairs, as well as state funds and federal assistance programs. The bill establishes that the Auditor must set annual hourly billing rates for audit services through formal rules. This replaces a previous list of specific departments with a broader requirement for all audited entities to cover these expenses.

introduced · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2503: A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing.

HF 2503 modifies Iowa's gambling regulations, state building codes, and residential care facility rules. It raises the annual reimbursement cap for gambling commission members from $30,000 to $70,000 and expands lifetime bans from sports wagering and advance deposit sports wagering to include those convicted twice of unlawful betting or certain gambling violations. The bill requires building code officials to consult with homeland security (instead of public defense) when setting safe room standards and redirects building code fees to a licensing fund. It also creates a new classification for pediatric palliative care facilities, allowing them to serve zero patients (unlike the current minimum of three). These changes directly affect gambling regulators, offenders, building code administrators, and specific residential care providers.

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2332: A bill for an act relating to elective abortion and feticide, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

This Iowa bill (HF 2332) prohibits most elective abortions after the second trimester and creates criminal penalties for "feticide" (intentionally causing fetal death during pregnancy). It defines "elective abortion" narrowly - excluding miscarriage treatment, medical emergencies, and procedures to save the mother's life - and bans knowingly performing or aiding such procedures. Feticide is classified as a felony (class C or D depending on intent), while unintentional fetal death during non-forcible crimes is a lesser offense. The law directly affects pregnant individuals seeking later-term abortions, healthcare providers, and anyone assisting in such procedures, with exceptions only for medical emergencies or preserving maternal life.

Topics ✗ Healthcare

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2443: A bill for an act providing for a country of origin label for certain products, allowing for injunctive relief, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2443 requires Iowa's Department of Agriculture to create a labeling program for retail beef and pork products (including muscle cuts and ground meat) to show their country of origin. The bill directs the department to base its rules on prior USDA regulations, but only after securing a USDA waiver under federal law. Retailers selling these products in Iowa would be required to label country of origin, with violations subject to existing misdemeanor penalties and potential court injunctions. The department must report on progress by January 1, 2027, and may seek additional state legislation if needed.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2329: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the department of education, and area education agency funding, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 2329 modifies Iowa's area education agencies (AEAs), which provide educational services to schools across the state. The bill requires AEAs to adjust their boundaries to avoid splitting school districts and to align with school district mergers, while mandating that they offer educational services to accredited public and nonpublic schools at least comparable to those available in 1974. It also establishes new budget rules requiring AEAs to submit annual budgets for approval by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, and caps AEA administrator salaries at 125% of the average superintendent salary in their region. Additionally, the bill creates a special education division within AEAs led by a director appointed by the Department of Education to oversee special education services.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2366: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to private instruction and dual enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

HF 2366 modifies Iowa's education laws regarding private instruction and dual enrollment. It removes the requirement for parents to provide immunization records or blood lead tests when first placing a child in private instruction, while adding specific reporting details like the child's age, course outline, and instructor information to school districts. The bill ensures privately instructed students can participate in public school academic and extracurricular activities through dual enrollment and guarantees that diplomas from private instruction programs are treated equally to public school diplomas. These changes directly affect parents of privately instructed children, school districts, and private instruction providers.

Topics ✓ Education

Bill results