Sen. Cherielynn Westrich

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes the YMCA's 175th anniversary and expresses the Iowa Senate's appreciation for its community service. It highlights the YMCA's historical contributions, including founding programs like basketball and Father's Day, and its ongoing work serving over 250,000 Iowans annually through youth development, health initiatives, and social services. The resolution does not create new programs or change laws - it is a ceremonial expression of support for the YMCA's mission.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors Staff Sergeant William Nathaniel Howard and Staff Sergeant Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Iowa National Guard members killed in action during a December 2025 attack in Syria. It recognizes their military service, posthumous promotions, and sacrifices, while also acknowledging three wounded Iowa Guard soldiers from the same incident. The resolution directs that a copy be sent to the families of the two fallen soldiers as a formal tribute. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no policy or legal effect but serves to memorialize their service.

Maddy summarySF 128 requires medical examiners investigating infant deaths (ages 0-3) to include specific immunization details on their investigation reports. The bill mandates that reports request the date and type of the decedent’s last immunization, including all types if multiple vaccines were administered at once. This change applies only to medical examiner forms used in these specific death investigations. The bill does not alter vaccination requirements or affect families directly, but adds a standard data point for medical examiners to collect during their investigations.

Maddy summarySF 415 makes it a class D felony (up to 5 years in prison and a $10,245 fine) for anyone who knowingly reports false information about specific serious crimes to police or fire departments, including forcible felonies, terrorism, or arson. It also increases penalties for continuing to make false accusations after being proven wrong, changing malicious prosecution charges from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years in prison and an $8,540 fine). The bill directly affects individuals who falsely report certain high-level criminal acts, such as terrorism or violent offenses. Key provisions clarify that false reports about these specific crimes - rather than all criminal accusations - trigger the felony charge, and require proof the report was known to be false. The bill aims to deter false reports that waste public safety resources and harm innocent people.

Maddy summarySF 161, the "Freedom to Garden Act," prohibits state agencies and local governments in Iowa from regulating residential gardens on properties with up to two family dwellings. It protects gardens where residents grow vegetables, fruits, or other edible plants primarily for personal or family use, not for sale. The law makes any regulation banning such gardens void and unenforceable, but excludes gardens intended for commercial sale, government-owned properties, gardens violating existing agricultural rules (like pesticide or weed control laws), or plants causing public safety hazards or property damage. This bill directly affects homeowners and renters who maintain small-scale food gardens on their residential property.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 320) creates a new capital murder offense in Iowa for intentionally killing a peace officer while the officer is on duty. It establishes the death penalty as the mandatory punishment for this specific crime, directly affecting individuals charged with such murders and requiring specialized legal representation for indigent defendants in these cases. Key provisions include mandating qualified attorneys for capital murder cases, creating a new process to assess an inmate's sanity before execution, and requiring automatic Supreme Court review of all death sentences to ensure they are legally imposed and not excessive. The bill also amends existing laws to clarify the circumstances that qualify as capital murder, including killings of officers "under any circumstances" with knowledge of their status.

Maddy summarySF 364 extends the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits by victims of sexual abuse or other sexual offenses that occurred when they were minors. It allows these cases to be filed within 10 years of discovering both the injury and its connection to the abuse, or until the victim turns 18, whichever is later - replacing the previous 5-year window for minor victims. The bill also revives previously time-barred cases, permitting new filings within three years of the bill’s effective date. Additionally, it entitles these cases to priority in court scheduling and includes a sunset provision for certain provisions, repealing them July 1, 2031.

Maddy summarySF 343 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 Iowa-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, people with disabilities, and rural Iowans - while offering trainings for medical staff, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public on sexual assault services and prevention. Grantees must submit annual reports to the Attorney General and may seek additional funding, though the state grant covers general operating costs without making them state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases Iowa's personal needs allowance for residents in specific long-term care facilities from $50 to $65 per month. It directly affects individuals living in nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual/mental disabilities, or psychiatric medical institutions for children. The allowance helps cover personal expenses not covered by medical assistance, with the state providing supplements to residents earning under $65 monthly. Starting July 1, 2026, the allowance will automatically adjust annually based on the federal consumer price index to keep pace with inflation.

Maddy summarySF 342 establishes a new criminal offense for adults (18+) who knowingly send unsolicited sexually explicit images or videos via electronic means. It specifically prohibits sending images depicting genitals, pubic areas, people engaging in sex acts, or male genitals in an erect state without consent. Violators face a serious misdemeanor charge punishable by up to one year in jail, fines of $430-$2,560, mandatory sex offender registration, and a minimum 10-year prison term with parole eligibility. This bill directly affects individuals who electronically transmit unsolicited explicit material meeting the defined criteria.