All Roll Calls
Yes: 140 • No: 0
IowaHF 261991st General Assembly (2025–2026)HouseWALLET
A bill for an act creating the uniform family law arbitration Act. (Formerly HF 2277.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
Sponsored By: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Signed by Governor
Your PRIA Score
Score Hidden
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
Safety checks for abuse and kids
Beginning July 1, 2026, if there is a protection order or a risk of abuse, the arbitrator pauses the case and sends it to court. Arbitration continues only if the at‑risk person agrees in writing and the court finds that agreement informed, voluntary, and safe. The arbitrator must stop and report any suspected child abuse or neglect. Temporary orders can protect a person or a child while the court reviews the case.
What family issues can’t be arbitrated
Beginning July 1, 2026, arbitrators cannot grant a divorce, legal separation, annulment, adoption, guardianship, or termination of parental rights. They also cannot decide if a child is a juvenile‑court dependent. They cannot set child support if support is assigned to the state or handled by child support services. A pre‑dispute agreement to arbitrate custody or support is enforceable only if both sides confirm it in writing after the dispute, or if a court approved it during a case.
Court confirmation, challenges, and enforcement
Beginning July 1, 2026, you can ask the court to confirm an award so it becomes a judgment. For custody or support, the court confirms only if it follows Iowa law and serves the child’s best interests. Courts enforce confirmed awards, including those confirmed in other states. You can ask to vacate or amend an unconfirmed award within 30 days for fraud, bias, misconduct, lack of agreement, or other legal grounds; child‑related awards can be changed to protect a child’s best interests. The court enters judgment and can seal or redact records to protect privacy. You can appeal listed arbitration orders. If facts change after confirmation, follow the method in the award, or agree to arbitrate the change, or use Iowa court rules.
Who can arbitrate and fairness rules
Beginning July 1, 2026, unless both sides waive it in writing, the arbitrator must be a lawyer or retired judge with five hours of training on domestic violence and child abuse. If selection fails, the court picks an arbitrator. Arbitrators must disclose conflicts and their fees up front, and keep disclosing new conflicts. You can have a lawyer and bring a non‑witness companion. No private talks with the arbitrator are allowed. Hearings are recorded only if the agreement says so, the arbitrator requires it, or a party asks.
How arbitrations run: powers and orders
Beginning July 1, 2026, arbitrators can set fair procedures, issue subpoenas, allow discovery, and interview a child. They can hire neutral experts or a guardian ad litem, usually at the parties’ expense, and can issue interim awards. Courts can make temporary orders before an arbitrator is picked, or if an urgent matter cannot wait. Awards must be in writing, and custody or support awards must explain the reasons. You can ask the arbitrator within 20 days to fix a math or description error. Within 30 days, you can ask a court to correct clear errors in an unconfirmed award, and after confirmation you can agree to re‑arbitrate what a term means.
How to start family arbitration in Iowa
Beginning July 1, 2026, you can use family law arbitration under clear state rules. You need a signed written agreement that names the arbitrator (or how to pick one) and the dispute. The court decides if the agreement is enforceable and can order arbitration to start, stop, or be combined with a related case. You must give notice the way the agreement says, or by Iowa’s default service rule. Arbitrators apply Iowa law. Electronic records and signatures count as the law allows. These rules apply to agreements made on or after July 1, 2026; older agreements can opt in by a new written record.
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
Passed Senate
Yes: 47 • No: 0
House vote • 3/10/2026
Passed House
Yes: 93 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Signed by Governor.
4/16/2026GovernorReported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.
4/16/2026SenateMessage from Senate.
3/24/2026SenateImmediate message.
3/23/2026legislaturePassed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0.
3/23/2026SenateSubstituted for SF 2371.
3/23/2026legislaturePlaced on calendar under unfinished business.
3/19/2026legislatureRead first time, attached to SF 2371.
3/10/2026legislatureMessage from House.
3/10/2026HouseImmediate message.
3/10/2026legislaturePassed House, yeas 93, nays 0.
3/10/2026HouseIntroduced, placed on calendar.
2/19/2026legislature
Bill Text
As Introduced
Enrolled
Related Bills
SF 2411 — A bill for an act establishing an Iowa-Ireland trade commission. (Formerly SF 2268.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2357 — A bill for an act relating to statutory corrections that adjust language to reflect current practices, correct grammar, insert earlier omissions, delete redundancies and inaccuracies, resolve inconsistencies and conflicts, remove ambiguities, and establish Code editor directives. (Formerly HSB 615.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2680 — A bill for an act relating to certified medication aides. (Formerly HSB 729.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2227 — A bill for an act relating to land restoration following the initial construction of electric transmission lines, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 526.) Effective date: 04/16/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2024.
HF 2500 — A bill for an act relating to contracts entered into by state agencies and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 583.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2026.
HF 2643 — A bill for an act relating to reporting total gasoline and diesel fuel gallonage sold and dispensed by retail dealers for a determination period. (Formerly HF 2299.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
Take It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in