Sen. Sarah Garriott

Maddy summaryThis bill changes Iowa's licensing rules for private investigators and security agents. It requires applicants to have no felony or serious misdemeanor convictions within the past ten years (instead of a lifetime ban under current law) to obtain or renew a license. The policy directly affects individuals and agencies seeking to work in these security fields in Iowa. The change applies to all new license applications and renewals processed after the law takes effect.

Maddy summarySF 2325 requires public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools to adopt policies granting at least one excused absence per school year for students in grades 6-12 participating in specified civic or political events. The policy must include a 24-hour advance notice requirement for students and defines "civic or political events" to include voting, serving as a poll worker, attending government meetings, political rallies, forums, or strikes. Absences for these events will not count toward chronic absenteeism thresholds. The bill applies directly to school boards and administrators managing student attendance policies in Iowa.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2241) sets new requirements for Iowa charter schools, directly affecting charter schools and their relationships with school districts. Key provisions include limiting charter schools to one per 10,000 students statewide per grade level (elementary/middle/high), mandating that governing boards include at least 50% parents of enrolled students and a school district representative, and requiring detailed annual reports on student enrollment, withdrawals, finances (including management fees), and academic performance. Charter schools must also comply with public fund restrictions and assessment reporting similar to traditional public schools. The state board of education will develop oversight standards to monitor academic, financial, and operational performance, with enhanced monitoring for underperforming schools.

Maddy summarySF 2332 permits Iowa candidates to use campaign funds for dependent care expenses (such as childcare or elder care) if the need arose directly from campaign activities or official duties after winning office. It requires four conditions: the care wouldn't be needed without the candidacy, payments must be reasonable, providers can't be spouses or dependent children, and expenses must be documented. Candidates must maintain detailed logs of all such expenses, including dates, purposes, costs, and provider names, and preserve these records for five years or until committee dissolution. Violations may result in civil penalties up to $2,000 or criminal charges for willful violations under Iowa campaign finance law.

Maddy summarySF 2243 modifies Iowa's audit and transparency rules for state government. It clarifies that the auditor of state may access confidential agency information (like health records or tax data) but must maintain confidentiality and cannot access individual tax returns or disease reports identifying specific people. The bill requires audit reports to be public unless they contain protected information (like personal health data), and replaces previous dispute resolution rules between agencies with a new arbitration process requiring a 3-member board appointed by the involved agencies. It also repeals outdated provisions about when audits begin and removes a 60-day deadline for arbitration decisions. The changes primarily affect state agencies, the auditor's office, and the public's access to government financial information.

Maddy summarySF 2245 requires Iowa governmental subdivisions (like cities, counties, school districts, and hospitals) to cooperate with the state auditor when suspected embezzlement, theft, or major financial irregularities involving public funds are reported. It mandates that the subdivision reimburse the state auditor for investigation costs, but only up to the amount of misused public funds as determined by the auditor. The bill establishes a clear process where the auditor decides whether to conduct further investigations after initial notification. This directly affects local government entities handling public funds by creating a defined reimbursement mechanism for financial misconduct probes.

Maddy summarySF 2272 requires Iowa employers with 50+ full-time employees to display a veterans' benefits poster in the workplace. The poster, created by the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, must include key resources like mental health services, education/training programs, tax benefits, driver’s license assistance, unemployment insurance eligibility, and legal services. Employers must display the poster prominently where employees can easily see it. This bill directly affects businesses meeting the 50-employee threshold and aims to make veterans' support resources more accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a separate billing class for large energy use facilities in Iowa that consume 20 megawatts or more (primarily industrial facilities under NAICS code 518210). It requires utilities to establish distinct rates for these facilities that directly assign their service costs and prevent shifting those costs to other customers. The utilities commission must review proposed rates to ensure they don’t unfairly increase costs for other customers or undermine grid reliability. The rules apply only to facilities built or expanded on or after January 1, 2027.

Maddy summarySF 2239 establishes Iowa's first state-run paid family and medical leave insurance program. It requires private employers with 10+ employees and all public employers to provide eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family reasons (like bonding with a newborn or caring for a sick family member) and up to 12 weeks for medical reasons (an employee's own serious health condition). To qualify, employees must have worked 1,250 hours over the past 12 months for their employer. The program, administered by the Iowa Department of Workforce Development, allows a combined maximum of 16 weeks of paid leave for both family and medical needs within any 12-month period.

Maddy summarySJR 2009 proposes a constitutional amendment in Iowa that prohibits corporations from making financial contributions or participating in election campaigns, ballot measures, or political committee activities. It specifically exempts corporations formed to create, sell, or operate election equipment. The amendment would require voter approval after legislative referral, as it seeks to amend the state constitution. This change directly affects all Iowa corporations engaging in political spending, excluding only election technology businesses. The bill does not alter existing laws governing corporate activities beyond political participation.