Sen. Scott Webster

Maddy summaryThis bill allows pregnant minors in Iowa to consent to prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal medical care if their parent, guardian, or legal custodian isn't reasonably available. It applies directly to minors seeking such care from specific healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, and emergency responders. The bill clarifies that providers must still obtain the minor's informed consent for this care, and it does not change existing duties for healthcare professionals. The measure focuses on expanding access to essential pregnancy-related medical services for minors in situations without parental support.

Maddy summarySF 2233 requires Iowa property and casualty insurers to provide policyholders with specific claim-related information within 15 days of request, including policy copies, payment details, internal communications, and claim adjustments. It prohibits insurers from including unfair deadlines for loss notice, depreciation recovery, or lawsuit filing (less than 5 years for denied claims) in policies, and mandates written notice of these deadlines. The bill also clarifies that insurers must cover consequential damage during repairs and bear the burden of proving repairs achieve a "reasonably similar appearance" to pre-loss condition. These changes directly affect Iowa homeowners and businesses with property insurance by increasing transparency and fairness in claim handling.

Maddy summaryIowa's SF 2343 authorizes the issuance of Gadsden flag special vehicle registration plates, featuring a yellow-and-white background, a black-and-white rattlesnake image, and the phrase "Don't Tread on Me." Vehicle owners can apply for these plates by paying a $50 annual fee (plus regular registration fees), with personalized options available for an additional $5. Fees collected fund two programs: 50% supports shooting range development grants through the natural resource commission (requiring school access), and 50% funds school infrastructure grants via the homeland security department. The bill also specifies plate design standards and prohibits county-level restrictions on Gadsden plate issuance.

Maddy summarySF 2314 clarifies Iowa's rulemaking process by defining "major rules" as those with significant costs (e.g., $200,000+ annual expenditures or major economic impacts) or effects on competition, employment, or Clean Air Act implementation. It requires state agencies to provide detailed public notices - including rule text, economic impact summaries, and classification as "major" - and conduct regulatory analyses comparing costs, benefits, and less burdensome alternatives before adopting such rules. The bill also mandates the Legislative Services Agency to independently review major rules, assess their impacts on businesses and state finances, and publish findings for legislative consideration. This affects state agencies creating regulations and regulated entities (like businesses) by adding transparency and review steps for significant rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Iowa courts to require drug testing for parents as part of custody orders when it serves a child's best interests. Parents ordered to test must pay for it, and test results remain confidential except for those involved in the custody case. If a parent fails a test, the court can modify custody arrangements to better protect the child. The law does not specify testing frequency or duration, leaving those decisions to the court's discretion. It applies directly to parents in custody disputes where drug use is a concern.

Maddy summarySF 2164 amends Iowa's definition of "public improvement" in construction bidding rules to exclude certain utility work. Specifically, it removes equipment from the definition and exempts repair/maintenance performed for city utilities related to electric generation, transmission, or existing utility infrastructure (like water, electricity, or gas systems). This change affects projects covered under Code chapter 26 (public construction bidding), as well as related rules for school buildings, community college contracts, and city lease-purchase agreements. By excluding these specific utility projects from "public improvement" requirements, the bill reduces the scope of projects needing competitive bidding under current law.

Maddy summarySF 2252 modifies Iowa's Major Economic Growth Attraction (MEGA) program to allow tax incentives for building a National Football League (NFL) stadium. The bill expands the existing program - which currently targets businesses in advanced manufacturing, biosciences, or R&D - to include NFL franchises constructing a professional sports stadium. Key provisions define "sports stadium" as a facility for NFL games and specify that incentives (like sales tax refunds and investment tax credits) would apply to the stadium project, subject to the program’s $1 billion investment threshold. This bill would directly affect NFL teams seeking to build a stadium in Iowa, but it does not change other MEGA program requirements or eligibility rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SF 2348) requires Iowa employers (like city councils or county boards) to provide full health insurance coverage at no cost to survivors for two groups: 1. Spouses and children of firefighters or peace officers who died in the line of duty, and 2. Firefighters or peace officers receiving disability benefits due to work-related injuries or disabilities, until age 55. Currently, employers could opt to pay only part of the cost or let survivors cover the difference; this bill eliminates that option. The coverage must continue as existing plans for survivors or be reenrolled for disabled personnel under the employer’s expense.

Maddy summaryThis Iowa bill (SF 2196) requires auto insurance companies to wait at least 72 hours before settling or attempting to settle a motor vehicle insurance claim after an accident occurs. It directly affects insurance companies operating in Iowa, prohibiting them from processing claims during the initial 72-hour period following an accident. The bill also states that an insurer's obligation to settle claims promptly is paused ("tolled") during this waiting period. Violations could result in civil penalties of $1,000-$50,000 or license suspension for the insurer.

Maddy summarySF 2161 defines "coercive control" as a pattern of behavior causing physical, emotional, or psychological harm that unreasonably interferes with someone's free will and personal liberty. It expands the legal definition of domestic abuse to include these controlling tactics, such as financial exploitation, isolation, technology-based harassment, or threats involving children or immigration status. The bill affects individuals in intimate relationships or family/household situations where such control occurs, making protective orders automatically cover coercive control behaviors. This change ensures courts can address psychological and financial abuse as part of domestic abuse cases, without requiring physical assault.