Sen. Sandy Salmon

Maddy summarySF 22 regulates how drivers can use electronic devices while operating a vehicle. It specifically addresses the use of these devices in a voice-activated or hands-free mode. The bill establishes penalties for any violations of these new rules. These provisions and penalties are set to become effective on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySF 48 requires hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and pregnancy resource centers in Iowa to report specific serious medical incidents to the state Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing within 15 working days. Facilities must report events like wrong-site surgery, medication errors, patient disappearances, falls, device failures, or serious injuries from contaminated products. The law specifies 15 distinct incident types that qualify as "serious reportable events," excluding certain situations like emergencies requiring immediate action. Reports must not include identifying details about patients, staff, or healthcare professionals. Failure to report could result in penalties established under the bill.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a specialized ombudsman assistant position focused on investigating complaints about Iowa's child foster care system. The assistant must have at least 10 years of foster parenting experience, including five years while living in Iowa. It requires the ombudsman to establish a direct complaint process for foster care facilities (licensees under Chapter 237) and mandates that all public child foster care materials include information about the assistant's role and contact details. The bill directly affects foster care providers, the Department of Health and Human Services, and families using foster care services.

Maddy summarySF 329 allows Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to delegate certain custodial responsibilities to licensed foster care providers when a court transfers legal custody of a child to HHS. Specifically, it permits HHS to delegate the authority to consent to emergency medical care, routine medical care (including sports physicals, blood tests, and necessary antibiotics), and participation in individualized education programs for the child. This delegation applies only when parents or guardians retain residual rights, and HHS must notify foster care providers about which decisions they can make on the child's behalf. The bill directly affects children in foster care under HHS custody and the licensed foster care providers caring for them. It clarifies that HHS can make these decisions without overriding parents' ongoing rights.

Maddy summarySF 221 updates Iowa's child abuse reporting procedures for schools. It requires public and nonpublic schools to report alleged abuse by staff to child protection services and law enforcement if criminal. Schools must allow confidential access to children during investigations and cooperate with assessments. The bill also mandates that school boards and educational examiners be notified of verified child abuse findings against staff, potentially leading to license denial or revocation for educators. These changes apply directly to all schools and their employees.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Iowa public school districts to offer elective high school courses (grades 9-12) focused on biblical texts, including the Old Testament, New Testament, or both. School boards must approve such courses after a school improvement committee recommends them by majority vote. Courses must teach biblical content to help students understand culture and society, while strictly following religious neutrality rules - no endorsement of any faith, and students may use alternative Bible translations. The bill also permits displays of religious materials in class if educationally appropriate, without requiring students to engage with texts conflicting with their family's beliefs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Iowa's civil rights law (Code §216.2) to clarify that "sexual orientation" does not include pedophilia or an adult's sexual attraction to minors. It directly affects how the state's civil rights protections apply to claims related to sexual orientation, explicitly excluding such attraction from being considered a protected characteristic. The key provision changes the legal definition within the civil rights statute to prevent adult sexual attraction to minors from being conflated with protected categories like homosexuality or bisexuality. This is a definitional adjustment to the law, not a new criminal prohibition, ensuring that civil rights protections for sexual orientation remain distinct from illegal conduct. The bill focuses solely on clarifying the scope of existing civil rights protections under Iowa law.

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 238 modifies Iowa's "enrich Iowa" program, which provides state funding to public libraries for services like open access programs and performance improvements. The bill adds new eligibility requirements: libraries seeking this state assistance must not be paying members of national nonprofit groups that advocate for library-related federal/state legislation, nor paying members of statewide nonprofits that promote similar legislation at federal, state, or local levels. This change directly affects public libraries eligible for enrich Iowa funding by restricting their participation in certain library advocacy organizations. The program aims to support library services and reduce inequities in library access across Iowa communities.

Maddy summarySF 406 amends Iowa's public health laws to clarify the state's powers during health emergencies. It requires health officials to seek individual consent for physical exams, testing, and vaccinations - prohibiting compulsion or penalties for refusal - and limits isolation/quarantine to the longest incubation period for the disease. The bill also adds a public website for sharing health emergency experiences and maintains religious exemptions for vaccinations during non-emergency periods (though exemptions don't apply during declared emergencies). These changes directly affect Iowa residents during public health crises by prioritizing individual consent while defining the department's authority.