State Government

HF 2303 requires promoters of professional or amateur kickboxing matches (defined as public events with admission fees, donations, or merchandise sales) to obtain a license from Iowa's state commissioner of athletics. It mandates that promoters report ticket sales and gross receipts within 20 days after an event and pay a 5% tax on those receipts (after deducting state sales tax). The bill applies the same licensing, reporting, and tax rules to kickboxing that currently govern mixed martial arts events under existing Iowa law. This formalizes kickboxing regulation under the commissioner’s authority, aligning it with current administrative practices for similar combat sports.

HF 2380 establishes a community-based wage enforcement program in Iowa to strengthen enforcement of state wage payment and minimum wage laws. The bill requires the director of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing to contract with qualified community-based organizations (nonprofits with five years of employee advocacy experience) to provide free services directly to workers. Key services include employee education about wage rights, direct advocacy for filing complaints, legal assistance, and tailored support for marginalized communities or non-English speakers. All program activities must be accessible to any Iowa employee at no cost, aiming to improve resolution of wage disputes under state law.

HF 2044 strengthens Iowa's campaign finance rules by prohibiting foreign nationals from influencing ballot issue campaigns (like voter referendums). It defines "foreign national" broadly to include non-U.S. citizens, foreign governments, and U.S. entities controlled by foreign entities, and requires political committees to verify through written affirmations that donors are not foreign nationals and have not accepted over $100,000 in foreign funds in the past four years. The bill also bans foreign nationals from directing campaign decisions or soliciting contributions for ballot issues, with violations subject to investigation by Iowa's ethics board. These provisions directly affect political committees, donors, and campaign treasurers involved in ballot measure campaigns.

This bill updates Iowa's administrative rules to clarify how agency procedures are published and rescinds numerous existing administrative rules that have been replaced by uniform rules on agency procedure. The legislation removes specific chapters and sections from the Iowa Administrative Code effective July 1, 2026, while keeping those rules in effect for any legal proceedings that began before that date. It also establishes new guidelines for agencies to adopt emergency rules without requiring a regulatory analysis, provided the rules address legal obligations or are deemed necessary by the agency. These changes aim to streamline administrative procedures and reduce redundancy in state regulations.

This bill requires foreign persons, including nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, and foreign governments, to register their agricultural land holdings in Iowa with the Secretary of State, with specific information about the land and owners to be filed. The key mechanism establishes that this registration data and related reports will remain confidential records, accessible only to the attorney general for law enforcement purposes and to state government officials for oversight. The legislation mandates an annual summary report of foreign landholdings to be provided to the governor and General Assembly, while maintaining restrictions on public access to these details. The bill applies to land interests acquired on or after January 1, 1980, and requires registration within 60 days of acquisition or the specified date.