Rep. Brian Lohse

Maddy summaryHF 561 defines "grooming" as knowingly seducing, soliciting, luring, or attempting to do so with a child (under 18) or someone posing as a child (including undercover officers) to commit unlawful sexual acts. It classifies this offense as a class D felony, imposing criminal penalties for such conduct. The bill directly affects individuals who attempt to manipulate minors into sexual situations, whether through in-person interactions, electronic communication, or written messages. Key provisions clarify that the law applies to all attempts to entice children into sexual activity, regardless of the method used to communicate.

Maddy summaryHF 584 establishes Iowa's Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council to develop statewide strategies for addressing the opioid crisis. The council, composed of 11 appointed members representing health providers, treatment programs, courts, and local health departments, will focus on prevention, treatment access, recovery services, and overdose prevention - particularly expanding naloxone availability. It will review existing initiatives, set priorities, recommend specific projects for funding from the opioid settlement fund (capping grants at $500,000 each), and ensure funds align with other state and federal efforts. The council must report annually to the legislature by January 31 on funded projects and progress toward measurable goals like reducing overdoses and improving treatment access. This bill directly affects Iowans impacted by opioid use disorder and guides how settlement funds are allocated to combat the epidemic.

Maddy summaryHF 555 modifies Iowa school notice requirements for chronically absent students. It changes the method school officials must use to notify parents/guardians or emancipated minors: instead of requiring only certified mail, the bill mandates sending notices via ordinary mail *and* electronic mail (if the school has the email address). The notices must still include details about the child’s absences and school policies on future absences. This bill directly affects school officials who must now use two delivery methods when sending these notices. The change applies to all public schools in Iowa under current chronic absenteeism policies.

Maddy summaryHF 553 allows Iowa school districts to use revenues from their district management levy (a local tax) to hire or keep school security personnel. Specifically, it authorizes funding for school resource officers (per federal definition), private security officers with a weapons permit, reserve peace officers, or certified peace officers. The bill applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2025, expanding the current allowable uses of this levy revenue. This change directly affects school districts seeking to fund security staffing through existing local tax revenues.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HF 7) establishes insurance requirements for delivery drivers and companies using digital platforms in Iowa. It requires delivery network drivers or their companies to maintain financial liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 for multiple people, and $25,000 for property damage during both the "delivery available period" (when drivers are logged in but not delivering) and the "delivery service period" (when actively transporting goods). The coverage must supplement existing auto insurance requirements under Chapter 516A and cannot depend on a driver's personal insurance denying a claim first. It directly affects gig-economy delivery drivers and companies like DoorDash or Uber Eats that connect drivers with customers via apps. The bill does not override federal or state transportation laws but clarifies that existing regulations take precedence in case of conflicts.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 3) is a symbolic statement by Iowa's House of Representatives affirming the state's support for Israel. It does not create new laws or directly affect individuals or entities; instead, it expresses solidarity through shared values, condemns antisemitism and terrorism, and encourages cultural and economic collaboration between Iowa and Israel. The resolution highlights Iowa's partnership with Israel's Western Galilee region, economic ties in agriculture and technology, and support for Israel's sovereignty following the October 7 attacks. It was adopted unanimously (76-10) on February 13, 2025, with no binding policy changes.

Maddy summaryHF 256 modifies Iowa's medical malpractice statute of repose, extending the six-year deadline for filing claims beyond the standard limit when healthcare providers conceal the cause of injury. It directly affects patients who discover their injury was caused by negligence only after providers intentionally hid the malpractice. The bill adds a second exception to the six-year rule (beyond the existing foreign object exception), allowing lawsuits to proceed if a physician, hospital, or their staff concealed the negligent act or omission. This change applies to licensed healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, dentists, and hospitals covered under chapters 147 or 135B of Iowa law. The bill does not alter the standard two-year statute of limitations for when a claimant knew or should have known of the injury.

Maddy summaryHF 354 restricts lobbying activities for two years after leaving certain government roles in Iowa. It prohibits former executive or administrative heads of 32 specific licensing boards (defined in Code §272C.1) from becoming lobbyists, and also bars former lobbyists from serving in those board leadership positions during the same two-year period. Violations are classified as serious misdemeanors, punishable by fines ($430-$2,560) or up to one year in jail. The bill does not apply to licensing board executive directors. This expands existing lobbying restrictions that already cover elected officials and agency heads.

Maddy summaryHF 254 requires Iowa healthcare facilities - including hospitals, surgical centers, and pregnancy resource centers - to report specific serious medical incidents to the state department of inspections within 15 working days. This includes events like wrong-site surgery, medication errors, patient disappearances, device failures causing injury, or deaths during routine procedures. Facilities must submit reports in a state-defined format without including patient or staff identifying information. Failure to report these incidents as defined in the bill may result in penalties.

Maddy summaryHF 219 requires health insurance companies covering medical malpractice claims to negotiate settlement offers within policy limits in good faith. If an insurer refuses a claimant's settlement offer at or below the policy limit and the case results in a judgment exceeding that limit, the insurer must pay the full judgment amount. This directly affects health care providers (insureds) and their insurers, giving providers a legal claim against insurers for failing to negotiate within policy limits. The bill shifts liability to insurers for excess judgments when they unreasonably reject reasonable settlement offers.