Iowa's HSB 610 requires all public and accredited nonpublic high schools to include one semester of computer science as a graduation requirement for students graduating in the 2030-2031 school year and beyond. The bill mandates that computer science courses must cover fundamental concepts of evolving technologies and artificial intelligence - including how AI works, its societal impact, and ethical considerations - starting in the 2022-2023 school year for a half-unit requirement. The state must publish a list of approved computer science courses by June 2027 and create a plan to expand teacher capacity, especially for small schools (under 500 students in grades 9-12). This directly affects Iowa high school students, educators, and school districts implementing new graduation standards.
SF 2093 modifies Iowa's emergency powers during disaster and public health crises. It requires governors to issue written declarations detailing affected areas and justifications, limiting initial emergencies to 30 days (extendable by 60 days by the governor), with legislative oversight allowing 60-day extensions via concurrent resolution. The bill explicitly prohibits emergency measures that infringe constitutional rights, restrict religious interactions in healthcare, use surveillance tech without consent, deploy drones/AI for enforcement, or limit licensed health professionals' practice. These provisions directly affect governors, the legislature, and public health authorities during declared emergencies.
This bill requires political campaign materials containing synthetic media - such as deepfakes or AI-generated videos/audio that falsely depict people - to include a clear disclosure: "THIS CONTENT GENERATED USING SYNTHETIC MEDIA." It applies to all campaign ads (websites, social media, print, TV, etc.) and holds the publisher directly responsible for the disclosure, not the creator. Violating this rule is a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,560 fine. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board must create implementing rules, and the disclosure does not limit other legal remedies for misuse.
Iowa's SSB 3013 defines key terms like "input," "output," and "trained artificial intelligence" to establish ownership rules. It states that a user who provides input to an AI owns the generated output (e.g., text, images) unless it infringes on existing copyrights. A person who trains an AI owns the resulting model if the training data was lawfully acquired and ownership wasn't transferred via contract. If an employee uses AI within their job duties under employer direction, the employer owns the output or trained AI, provided it doesn't violate third-party intellectual property rights.
This Iowa bill defines key terms like "input" (user-provided data/directions), "output" (AI-generated content like text or images), and "trained artificial intelligence" (the AI model after training). It states that a user who provides input owns the AI-generated output, unless it infringes on third-party copyrights. A person who trains an AI owns the resulting model if the training data was lawfully acquired and ownership wasn't transferred via contract. If an employee uses AI within their job duties under employer direction, the employer owns the output or trained AI, provided it doesn't infringe existing intellectual property rights.
HF 2082 prohibits using artificial intelligence to intentionally recreate a person's audio or visual likeness without their consent if the result is substantially indistinguishable from them. It specifically bans this use in commercial activity, unsupportive political campaigns, situations meant to make others believe the person engages in offensive acts, or contexts designed to damage their credibility, cause embarrassment, or induce actions/information sharing. The bill creates a civil cause of action allowing individuals to sue for actual damages, punitive damages (capped at $250,000 per violation), attorney fees, and court costs. Violations are considered separate for each day the likeness is used, and the law does not prevent lawsuits under other existing legal provisions.
This Iowa bill regulates chatbot deployers by requiring safety protocols to detect and mitigate user harm, while limiting data collection to what's necessary for the chatbot's purpose. It mandates age verification to prevent minors from accessing chatbots, with exceptions for mental health chatbots that provide clinical evidence, professional recommendations, and clear disclaimers about their non-professional nature. Deployers must document testing and disclose limitations to parents/guardians for minor-accessible mental health chatbots. Violations may result in civil penalties up to $2,500 per incident.
SF 2106, the "Iowa Residential Rent Fairness and Anticollusion Act," prohibits landlords managing five or more properties from coordinating rent prices with other landlords or using algorithmic rent-setting systems that rely on nonpublic competitor data. It specifically bans software, AI, or automated tools that set rent based on secret data from other landlords without human review, treating this as price fixing. Violators face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per rental unit per month, injunctions, and restitution for tenants overcharged. The bill also requires landlords and algorithm providers to maintain records for five years and allows tenants to sue for damages if harmed by violations.
Iowa's HSB 643 requires political campaigns and advertisers to clearly disclose when campaign materials (like ads, social media posts, or videos) use digitally manipulated content that falsely mimics a person's appearance or voice. It mandates that such materials prominently display "THIS CONTENT GENERATED USING SYNTHETIC MEDIA," with the publisher solely responsible for compliance. The law applies to all political advertising formats, including online content, print, and broadcast media, directly affecting campaigns and media producers. Violations are classified as a serious misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and fines up to $2,560.
HF 2204 regulates chatbot developers and companies (called "deployers") that make AI chatbots publicly available. It requires deployers to implement safety protocols to detect and mitigate harm, limit user data collection to what's necessary, and verify users' ages to prevent minors from accessing certain chatbots. Specifically, it bans AI companions that simulate emotional bonds from being used by minors without age verification, prohibits impersonating people without permission (with limited exceptions), and sets strict rules for therapeutic chatbots (like mental health tools) to include disclaimers, professional recommendations, and safety testing. Violations can result in civil penalties up to $2,500 per incident or allow minors to sue for damages. The law does not apply to generic chatbots offering only basic responses without creating emotional connections.
