March 6, 2026

You Need to Know

Legislative work this week continued to place a heavy emphasis on floor debate. Between the two chambers, roughly 100 bills were approved by a majority of lawmakers, with a handful already sent to the governor’s office for consideration.

This week also marked the League’s Local Leaders Day. Nearly 150 mayors, council members, managers and clerks gathered in Des Moines to hear updates on pending legislation, learn about the League’s study on the economic impact of Iowa’s cities, discuss opportunities for collaboration with neighboring communities and connect with state lawmakers to advocate on behalf of their communities’ interests. Thanks to everyone who joined and helped make the event a success! Photos from the event are available here.

League Priority Legislation

Sidewalk Liability:

• SF 2146 was passed unanimously by the Senate on Monday. Thank you, Senators!

• HF 2359 is eligible for floor debate in the House. The League is continuing to work with lawmakers to ensure the House’s bill is amended to conform to the Senate’s version and gains majority approval by the chamber.

Digital Public Notices:

• Division II of SF 2434 is eligible for floor debate in the Senate. The League is working to amend or remove Division I of the bill.

• NEW: SSB 3183 was introduced by the Appropriations Committee Chair and referenced by Director Mark Campbell of DAS, keynote speaker at the League’s Local Leaders Day. The legislation requires Iowa public entities — including state, counties, cities, school districts and qualifying agencies — to post all statutorily required public notices on an online portal managed by the Secretary of State, rather than in newspapers. A $5 fee per posting is collected and deposited into a new Public Notice Administration Fund (capped at $350,000) to fund the portal's administration. Conforming amendments are made throughout Iowa Code to replace newspaper publication requirements with digital posting. Certain exceptions and transition rules apply and disputes about notice publication will be resolved by the Iowa Public Information Board. Physical posting at entity offices is still required.

Taxpayer Notice Form: 

• Remains one of the universally appreciated portions of the House property tax bill. The League Government Affairs team is advocating for its inclusion in any combined property tax bill that is negotiated between the Senate, House and Governor’s office.
  

Property Taxes:

• On Tuesday, the Senate held a subcommittee to discuss its property tax proposal, SSB 3001. We are told amendments to the bill are currently being drafted and discussions between the Senate, House, and Governor’s office continue as they review the provisions of each proposal to determine how a unified bill might look.

Going to the Governor's Desk

SF 2340 | Security Alarm Systems

• In a compromise worked on by the League and the Legislative Policy Committee, this bill defines what constitutes a battery-charged security alarm system and provides that local governments cannot treat such systems as fences or require fence permits for them while still allowing cities to require alarm system permits prior to installation. Additionally, local ordinances, building codes, or zoning regulations cannot prohibit or otherwise regulate these systems, provided they meet specified safety and signage requirements. The bill does not allow these systems on residential properties and limits permitting requirements to those applied to other alarm systems.
  

League Registered in Support

HF 2501 | Disallowing City Clerks to be Deputized to Receive Election Filings

• Makes comprehensive changes to Iowa's election laws and the duties of various county officers. It amends definitions, notification requirements for election investigations, procedures for voter registration cancellation, recount processes for public measures, absentee ballot tracking and deadlines for candidate filings. It centralizes several election processes under the county commissioner of elections, tightens election security, updates handling of absentee ballots and recounts, alters identification procedures at polling places and revises several county financial and record-keeping responsibilities.
  

League Registered Undecided

Passed One Chamber and Opposite (Sub)Committee

HF 2667 / SF 2394 | SUDAS Board Restructuring & Cost-Benefit Analyses

• Creates a new board, the Statewide Urban Design and Specifications Board, to establish and maintain statewide urban design standards and specifications. It requires the Department of Transportation to ensure planning activities comply with these standards. The board will be composed of representatives from various industry groups and will publish design and specification manuals, as well as analyses of changes and expected cost impacts. After an amendment on the House floor, cities are not automatically responsible for project designs above statewide standards but must submit a report outlining the cost implications when approving street projects that do not adhere to the statewide standards and are prohibited from modifying approved design standards once a project has begun.

• Passed House and linked to Senate bill ready for floor.

League Registered Undecided After Amendment

HF 2520 | Filling Local Offices without Special Election

• Restricts the ability to petition for a special election to fill a vacancy in county or city elective offices to only those cases where the remaining balance of the unexpired term is at least six months. It also creates new processes allowing vacancies anticipated after a general election to be declared and filled via that election, with the office listed as 'To Fill Vacancy' on the ballot. The person elected will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, assuming office upon the vacancy date and after qualification.

• Passed House & Senate subcommittee with amendment.
  

League Registered in Support

HF 2490 | Revised Notice Requirements for Local Governments

• Updates Iowa's public notice law to require governmental bodies to provide meeting notices through several specified methods: advising news media that have requested notice, posting in a designated prominent and always-visible location and posting on the body's website or internet presence. It also establishes requirements for marking and updating amended agendas. These changes are intended to increase transparency and public access to governmental meetings.

• Passed House & Senate subcommittee with amendment.

League Registered Undecided

SF 2145 | Local Government Crowdfunding Allowances

• Amends Iowa Code section 68B.22 to allow local officials and employees to accept monetary donations from other local officials or employees, specifically to offset medical or health care expenses resulting from a diagnosed condition. These donations must be made and received via online crowdfunding or fundraising platforms and are limited to $100 per donor per calendar year. The bill maintains penalties for violations, including potential misdemeanor charges and employment sanctions.

• Passed Senate & House subcommittee.
  

League Registered in Support

Passed One Chamber

HF 2634 | Government Cemeteries

• Updates regulatory oversight and operational requirements for preneed sellers and sales agents, changes how inflation adjustments are calculated for consumer refunds, establishes new definitions and exemptions for government cemeteries and repeals some reporting and regulatory requirements. It also updates required disclosures to consumers and removes specific examination mandates for cemeteries and preneed sellers.
  

Passed (Sub)Committee

SSB 3001 | Senate Property Tax Proposal

• See Property Tax Proposals Comparison.
  

• Passed Senate subcommittee.

League Registered Undecided

HSB 758 | Property Tax Assessment Protest and Appeal Burden of Proof Reform

• Revises the legal standards for property tax assessment protests and appeals. It eliminates obsolete language about pre-2018 assessments and establishes new rules for assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. For these years, if a complainant presents any evidence that the market value differs from the assessor's value, the burden of proof shifts to officials defending the assessment. Additionally, it specifies that an assessment is not equitable if it exceeds the median appraised value of a reasonable number of similar properties in the same area.
  

• Passed House subcommittee.

League Registered Undecided

Legislative With Scheduled Subcommittees

SF 2313 | Major Overhaul of Iowa Property Tax Sale and Foreclosure Procedures

• Subcommittee scheduled for March 10 at 8:30 a.m.

SF 2431 | Township Officers, Trustees and Budgets Reform

• Subcommittee scheduled for March 11 at 8:30 a.m.
  

Other Legislation of Interest

HF 2592 / SF 2286 | Investment of Public Funds - Regulation of Joint Investment Trusts

• Restricts political subdivisions to investing no more that 25% of their public funds in a joint investment trust, with calculation based on a two-year average.

League Registered Opposed

Resources

• What Do the League's Bill Declarations Mean?

• How to Find Your Legislators

• League's Legislative Advocacy Toolkit
  

• Sign up to be a Legislative Champion

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).