HF 2675 establishes specific procedural rights for Iowa peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, corrections staff, and other public safety personnel during formal investigations into complaints. The bill requires agencies to provide officers with a written summary of complaints before interviews, access to relevant incident reports and evidence without delay, and audio recording of all interviews. It guarantees officers the right to have legal counsel or union representatives present during investigations and disciplinary proceedings, while protecting confidential communications between officers and their representatives. The bill also prohibits using interview responses against officers in criminal cases and mandates that disciplinary decisions include providing full investigative reports upon request. This applies directly to all certified public safety personnel employed by Iowa municipalities, counties, or state agencies.
HF 2584 establishes "drug-free homeless service zones" around facilities that provide shelter or housing for homeless individuals and receive government funding. It prohibits selling, transferring, or possessing drugs within 300 feet of these facilities and requires operators to display bilingual signs identifying the zone. Violations carry increased prison sentences (up to one year longer), mandatory fines of at least $2,000, and disqualify operators from state homelessness grants for three years if they allow drug use on premises. The bill directly affects homeless service providers, individuals using these services, and law enforcement operating within designated zones.
HF 2629 proposes a new criminal offense for "unlawful squatting" in Iowa, targeting individuals who enter and occupy someone else's property without legal permission. It defines unlawful squatting as entering and residing on a dwelling, commercial building, or vacant property without showing valid documents like a lease, deed, rental receipt, or owner authorization - unless the person is an immediate family member of the owner. Violations are classified as a serious misdemeanor (first offense), aggravated misdemeanor (second), or class D felony (third+), with fines and jail time increasing for repeat offenses. The bill also requires property owners (or their authorized representatives) to report squatting to police and allows victims to sue for damages, while exempting law enforcement acting in good faith. This is a proposed law introduced on February 19, 2026, not yet enacted.
HF 2718, the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," prohibits Iowa state agencies, law enforcement, and political subdivisions from enforcing any "red flag law" that orders the seizure of firearms from law-abiding citizens without a violent felony conviction. The bill defines "red flag law" as any federal or state law, order, or measure requiring firearm surrender except for those in custody after violent felony charges. It bans state entities from using federal funds to enforce such laws and imposes a $50,000 civil penalty per violation for agencies employing officers who knowingly enforce them. The act also allows affected individuals to sue for damages, injunctions, and attorney fees, taking effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill (SF 2021) changes Iowa's sex offender registry rules. It requires individuals convicted of a second or subsequent sex offense (including those with expunged prior convictions) to register for life, with no option to apply for removal from the registry. It also mandates that sex offenders update their photographs annually - taken facing the camera with eyes open - while requiring law enforcement to retake blurry or distorted images. Additionally, offenders with any history of sex offense reoffending (including expunged cases) cannot request modifications to their registration requirements. These changes apply directly to individuals already required to register under Iowa's sex offender laws.
HF 2139 amends Iowa law to address fleeing police across state lines. It defines "aggravated eluding" as knowingly crossing into another state while being pursued without yielding to police, making it a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,245. The bill also allows Iowa officers to continue pursuing and arresting drivers in other states during "fresh pursuit" (defined as pursuit without unreasonable delay), requiring them to report the arrest to that state's authorities and subjecting the driver to extradition. This directly affects drivers fleeing police across state borders and Iowa law enforcement officers conducting interstate pursuits.
This bill creates a new offense called "aggravated eluding" in Iowa law. It makes it a class D felony (carrying up to 5 years in prison and a $1,025-$10,245 fine) for a driver who, while being chased by police within Iowa, knowingly crosses into another state without yielding to the officer. The bill also allows Iowa police to continue pursuing and arresting such drivers in other states during "fresh pursuit" (defined as pursuit without unreasonable delay), requiring them to report the arrest to the other state's authorities and follow extradition rules. It directly affects drivers fleeing police across state lines and law enforcement officers conducting cross-state pursuits.
HF 81 defines "obscene material involving a minor" as visual depictions meeting specific criteria (depicting minors in prohibited sexual acts, appealing to prurient interest, being patently offensive, and lacking serious value). It prohibits producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing such material, with first offenses classified as aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years jail, $8,540 fine) and repeat offenses as class D felonies (up to 5 years jail, $10,245 fine), requiring sex offender registration. The bill exempts law enforcement activities, educational materials in schools/libraries, and does not require the depicted minor to exist. The bill was withdrawn on March 31, 2025, after committee approval.
HF 826 creates new offenses related to "obscene material involving a minor." The bill defines this material as any visual depiction of a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act that meets specific criteria for being obscene. It prohibits individuals from knowingly producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing with intent to distribute such material, or attempting these actions. Violations are an aggravated misdemeanor for a first offense and a class "D" felony for subsequent offenses, requiring sex offender registration. The bill exempts law enforcement, educational materials, and internet service providers.
HF 937 modifies administrative procedures for law enforcement officers, primarily impacting their professional certification and confidentiality in peer support. The bill narrows the specific grounds for revoking or suspending an officer's certification, limiting it to instances where an officer was discharged for just cause or resigned during pending disciplinary action warranting discharge. It also applies standard rules of evidence to contested certification cases and ensures officers receive investigative reports. Additionally, the bill expands confidentiality protections for communications made by officers and certain civilian employees to peer support counselors during crisis interventions.
