Rep. Timi Brown-Powers

Maddy summaryHF 333 requires Iowa public school districts to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as tampons and sanitary pads) in at least half of the restrooms serving students in grades 6-12, with regular refilling. The bill applies directly to all Iowa public schools educating middle and high school students. It appropriates state funds from 2025-2028 to reimburse school districts for the full cost of compliance, with the Department of Education managing the reimbursement process. The funding ends June 30, 2028, after which schools would use other state aid for ongoing costs.

Maddy summaryHF 343 changes how Iowa's child care assistance program reimburses providers. It requires the state human services department to pay providers full-day rates for every day a child is enrolled, regardless of whether the child stays for the full day (current law allows partial payments for shorter stays). The bill also mandates payments within 10 business days of receiving a valid bill, and requires the department to notify providers of billing errors within 5 days and pay within 10 days of receiving corrections. This directly affects licensed child care providers serving families in the state's child care assistance program.

Maddy summaryHF 324 requires Iowa law enforcement officers to conduct a threat evaluation for individuals identified as the primary physical aggressor in domestic abuse incidents *when no arrest is made*. This evaluation uses a department-adopted checklist considering factors like prior abuse convictions, violations of protective orders, felony convictions, and weapon possession. If two or more checklist factors apply, officers must provide the aggressor with resources like counseling, job programs, and housing assistance information. The bill also mandates that officers provide victims with materials about financial aid, mental health services, and legal support. These changes aim to address domestic abuse risks and provide support services without advocating for specific outcomes.

Maddy summaryHF 275 modifies Iowa's statewide preschool program enrollment rules to prioritize homeless children. The bill requires local preschool programs (operated by school districts) to give priority on waiting lists to children meeting the federal definition of "homeless individual" under 42 U.S.C. §11302(a) and (c). This change applies to all local programs approved under Iowa Code chapter 256C, ensuring homeless children are prioritized when spaces are limited. The bill does not alter other program requirements like teacher ratios or learning standards. It directly affects preschool programs and homeless children seeking enrollment in Iowa's statewide preschool system.

Maddy summaryHF 273 requires Iowa school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to adopt a policy by December 31, 2025, prohibiting student use of personal electronic devices (like cell phones or smartphones with internet access) during classroom instruction. The policy must allow exceptions for educational use by teachers, emergencies, health management, and students with IEPs or 504 plans. Schools must make the policy publicly available online, include it in student handbooks, and notify parents through email, mail, or a note. This bill directly affects all public and accredited nonpublic schools, students, and their families by establishing clear rules for device use during learning time.

Maddy summaryHF 223 requires Iowa public schools and accredited nonpublic schools to publish mental health resources provided by "your life Iowa" on their websites or link to those resources. It also mandates that schools partner with enrolled students to develop additional methods for increasing awareness of mental health resources and information. This applies to all school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa. The bill creates specific, concrete requirements for resource visibility and student involvement without altering the content of mental health services.

Maddy summaryHF 266 requires landlords in Iowa to refund 50% of an application fee to prospective tenants if they are not selected to rent a unit. This directly affects renters who pay application fees and landlords who collect them. The key provision mandates that landlords must issue this partial refund within a specified timeframe after rejecting an applicant. The bill amends Iowa Code Section 562A.9 to establish this requirement, aiming to reduce financial burden on renters who don't secure housing.

Maddy summaryHF 216 requires Iowa child care centers that employ workers under 18 years old to provide unsupervised care for school-age children to maintain professional liability insurance coverage for those employees. The bill directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to create rules mandating centers provide proof of this insurance coverage. It specifically applies to centers using teen employees (under 18) for direct child care without additional adult supervision. The law aims to protect children by ensuring insurance coverage for incidents involving minor caregivers, using existing definitions of "child care" from Iowa Code section 237A.1.

Maddy summaryHF 213 limits pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) in Iowa by requiring that payments made by health plan members for prescriptions count toward their deductible. It prohibits PBMs from charging different fees based on which pharmacy a member uses or blocking members from filling prescriptions at any in-state pharmacy that accepts their plan’s terms. The bill also bans PBMs from forcing members to use mail-order pharmacies exclusively for prescription drugs. These changes directly affect PBMs, pharmacies, and health plan members in Iowa, applying to PBMs managing prescription drug benefits in the state after the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summaryHF 267 expands the definition of "cancer" in Iowa's public retirement systems to include all types of cancer, replacing specific references with a general medical definition. This change directly affects members of the Public Safety Peace Officers' Retirement System (PORS) and the Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System (411 System), making more cancer diagnoses eligible for accidental disability and death benefits. The bill also extends this broader definition to the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System for in-service disability retirement. As a result, retirees or their families in these systems will now qualify for benefits for a wider range of cancer diagnoses under existing policies.