February 7, 2025

You Need to Know

• Representative Martin Graber (Fort Madison) passed away.
  

• The Senate decided to not advance the casino moratorium passed by their House colleagues last week. On Thursday the Racing and Gaming Commission greenlit the Cedar Rapids permit by a vote of 4-1. For more information please see here.

League Priority Bill: 

HF192 | Liability of Property Owners for Public Sidewalk Maintenance

• Aligns liability for injuries sustained due to negligent sidewalk maintenance to the adjacent property owner rather than the city. 
  

• Possible subcommittee assignment next week? TBD

How to Read Legislative Link

Includes all bills that have been identified by the Government Affairs team as potentially affecting cities. Bills are organized as follows:

• Bills with Upcoming Subcommittee Meetings

  • These bills will be heard in subcommittee next week. Please review for any impacts to your community for us to know as we attend and testify at these meetings. If you would like to testify yourself, we are happy to assist you.

• Newly Introduced Bills of Interest

  • We expect these bills to have a direct influence on local government, but may not affect all communities the same. Let us know of impacts to your city!

• Bills of Interest

  • These bills have not been debated the past week at the statehouse, but the Government Affairs team continues to monitor them.

• “FYI” Bills

  • These bills may have indirect effects on your community, but are not the primary focus of the League at this time. We want you to be able to elevate issues in this category to us in case they need to be monitored more closely.
    

Legislation That Advanced This Week

HF19 | Emergency Medical Services Funding Enhancement Act

• Passed House Local Government Committee by vote of 18-0
  

League Registered in Support

HSB98 | Amendments to Emergency Services Compensation and City Council Roles

• Passed House Local Government Committee by vote of 18-0

League Registered Undecided

HSB75 | Public Notice Requirements for Governmental Meetings

• Passed State Government Committee by vote of 23-0
  

League Registered Undecided

SF165 | Establishment of Length of Service Award Programs for Emergency Responders

• Passed Appropriations Subcommittee

League Registered in Support

HF75 | Property Tax Abatement for Surviving Spouses of Emergency Services Members

• Passed Ways & Means Subcommittee
  

League Registered Undecided

HF50 | Automated Traffic Enforcement Revenue Allocation Act

• Passed Transportation Subcommittee
  

League Registered Undecided

Legislation With Scheduled Subcommittees

HSB 104 | Iowa Next Generation 911 Systems Transition Act

• Aims to implement federal regulations for next generation 911 systems in Iowa by redefining service provider terms, adjusting funding allocations for emergency communications, and requiring a study on public safety answering points to enhance management and operational efficiency. The bill also establishes transition provisions for funding and implementing wireline cost recovery related to the new 911 capabilities.

Thursday, February 13 at 8:15 a.m. in the House Lounge

New Legislation of Interest

SSB 1094 | Prohibition of Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems in Small Residential Properties

• Requires the state building code to prohibit the installation of fire protection sprinkler systems in residential properties with fewer than seven units and prevents local regulations from requiring such installations in these smaller residences.

HF 267 | Expansion of Cancer Definition for Public Retirement Benefits

• House File 267 expands the definition of "cancer" for members of the public safety peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system and the municipal fire and police retirement system, allowing for a broader range of cancer diagnoses to qualify for accidental disability and death benefits. The bill also ensures that political subdivisions must comply with any state mandates related to these changes, regardless of funding availability.
  

SSB 1095 | Prohibition of Pet License Fees

• Prohibits cities and counties from imposing a fee for obtaining a pet license.

SSB 1104 | Regulation of Consumer Fireworks

• Prohibits city councils and county boards of supervisors from restricting or limiting the use of consumer fireworks, display fireworks, or novelties on July 3, July 4, and December 31, while maintaining existing regulations for other days.
  

SF 200 | Tax Exemption for Water Utilities

• Requires water utilities to accept and retain valid exemption certificates for tax-exempt water usage, prohibiting unnecessary demands for tax refunds from the Department of Revenue.
  

SSB 1087 | Public Notice Requirements for Governmental Meetings

• Companion to HSB 75 proposed by the Iowa Public Information Board. Requires local governments in Iowa to provide clear and accessible notice of their meetings, including the time, date, place, and agenda, through various methods such as notifying the media, posting in a designated visible area, and using their official website.
  

SF 156 | Regulation of Private Spaces in Public Entities

• Requires that restrooms in public entity facilities be utilized “exclusively” by individuals of the same biological sex as defined in the bill, and allows residents to file complaints with the attorney general for enforcement of noncompliant state agencies.
  

SSB 1105 | City Council Authority to Discharge City Executives

• Amends Iowa Code to allow for city councils to discharge a city manager or similar city executive by a simple majority vote from the council.

Other Legislation For Your Information

SSB1074 & HSB99 | Regulation of Pharmacy Benefits Managers in Iowa

• Both bills passed out of their respective subcommittees this week
  

SF116 | Iowa Obscenity Protection Act

• Covered here
  

You can view all editions of Legislative Link at iowaleague.org/resource/legislative-link.

Like our membership, the Iowa League of Cities is a non-partisan, service-oriented organization that does not participate in elections, make campaign contributions, or have a political action committee (PAC).