Rep. Judd Lawler

Maddy summaryHF 458 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Justice to fund nonprofit organizations operating sexual assault forensic examination centers. Eligible nonprofits must be state-incorporated, employ sexual assault nurse examiners, maintain dedicated treatment facilities for survivors, and prioritize sexual assault care as their primary mission. The program requires grantees to provide medical forensic services to all survivors - including adults, children, rural residents, and people with disabilities - and conduct mandatory trainings for medical staff, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public on sexual assault services and prevention. Grantees must submit annual reports on services delivered but may seek additional funding from other sources, with the contract structured as general reimbursement for operating costs.

Maddy summaryHF 2413 modifies Iowa's rulemaking process by defining "major rules" and adding new review requirements. A "major rule" is defined as one costing at least $200,000 annually, significantly affecting competition/employment, or amending federal Clean Air Act plans. State agencies must now provide detailed regulatory analyses for major rules, including cost-benefit comparisons, and the Legislative Services Agency must conduct a separate review of these rules before they take effect. This directly affects state agencies creating regulations and indirectly affects businesses and citizens subject to those rules. The bill aims to increase transparency and accountability in the rulemaking process for significant regulations.

Maddy summaryHF 2062 repeals a provision that allowed property owners to challenge proposed zoning changes by filing a written protest signed by owners of 20% of the affected area or within 200 feet of the property. Currently, such a protest would require a city council to approve the change with a 3/4 majority vote. This bill removes that requirement, meaning zoning changes would no longer need the higher vote threshold if a protest is filed. The change directly affects property owners in areas where zoning district modifications are proposed, eliminating their ability to block such changes through this specific process.

Maddy summaryHF 2209 requires Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine to admit at least 80% of students who are Iowa residents or attended eligible Iowa colleges. It prioritizes applicants planning to work in Iowa rural communities (under 25,000 people) and specialize in mixed-animal veterinary care. Applicants must disclose their Iowa background and career intentions in their applications. The university must submit annual reports to the legislature detailing admission statistics and reasons for rejections.

Maddy summaryHF 2145 prohibits the Iowa governor from closing, mandating restrictions on, or regulating places of worship during any emergency, including disaster declarations or public health crises. It directly affects all religious buildings in Iowa with an active congregation, ensuring they cannot be subject to executive orders under emergency powers. The bill explicitly defines "place of worship" as a building where a congregation regularly gathers for religious practice, blocking any governor-led restrictions during emergencies. This is a procedural measure limiting executive authority, not creating new regulations.

Maddy summaryHF 2555 regulates how law enforcement in Iowa uses automatic license plate readers. It requires all plate readers to be approved by a state procurement team, mandates vendors to delete captured vehicle data after 21 days (and audit records after 2 years), and generally requires a warrant for accessing plate data more than 24 hours after capture - except for stolen vehicles, voluntary consent, or emergency situations. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies and technology vendors supplying plate reader systems, ensuring data is deleted promptly and access is legally justified. Key provisions include strict vendor certification about data handling, mandatory audit trails tracking all system access, and requirements for data security standards.

Maddy summaryHF 463 creates two specialized human trafficking prosecution units within Iowa's Department of Justice, one serving western Iowa and the other eastern Iowa (divided by Interstate 35). These units will bring together prosecutors, investigators, law enforcement, victim services, healthcare professionals, and community advocates to investigate, prosecute human trafficking cases, and support victims. The units will also provide community training and technical assistance to raise awareness. The bill directly affects victims of human trafficking and requires coordination between the Attorney General's office, public safety, and health agencies. It defines "human trafficking" using the existing legal standard from Iowa Code section 710A.1.

Maddy summaryHF 2365 regulates Iowa's electric utilities by setting rules for rate filings, automatic rate adjustments, virtual power plants, and long-term planning. It requires rate-regulated utilities to file general rate cases every three years (starting July 2029), limits frequent rate changes to once per year without approval, and prohibits automatic rate adjustments for transmission costs. The bill defines "virtual power plants" as customer-owned energy resources managed centrally (not classified as utilities) and mandates commission approval based on customer benefits. It also requires utilities to submit detailed 3-year integrated resource plans by July 2027, including 5- and 20-year forecasts for energy needs, costs, and resource options like efficiency programs and distributed generation. These plans must be evaluated using standardized data and include public input processes.

Maddy summaryHF 668 creates legal immunity from criminal and civil lawsuits for people who use reasonable force in self-defense, defense of others, or protection of property. It establishes a presumption that the person reasonably believed force was necessary to stop imminent unlawful force. The bill requires law enforcement to have probable cause before arresting someone for justified force use and mandates a pretrial hearing within 14 days to determine immunity, placing the burden of proof (clear and convincing evidence) on the party challenging the immunity. This directly affects individuals involved in defensive force incidents and law enforcement handling such cases.

Maddy summaryHF 2161 regulates the use of automatic license plate readers (APRs) by requiring local governments to first adopt an ordinance authorizing their use. It prohibits accessing captured license plate images or data more than 24 hours after capture without a warrant or subpoena, except for specific cases like stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts (child abductions), or human trafficking investigations. The bill bans using APRs for facial recognition and prohibits placing readers near religious sites, while requiring access logs and banning sharing data with non-governmental third parties. These rules apply to local authorities, law enforcement, and any entity operating APRs in Iowa, with violations punishable as misdemeanors.