All Roll Calls
Yes: 212 • No: 23
IowaHF 70691st General Assembly (2025–2026)HouseWALLET
A bill for an act relating to open meetings and open records, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly HF 416.) Effective date: 07/01/2025.
Sponsored By: COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT
Signed by Governor
state government
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
New Iowa officials must complete training
Beginning July 1, 2025, newly elected or appointed public-body members must take 1 to 2 hours of open-government training. Members and bodies outside the Iowa Public Information Board’s jurisdiction are exempt. Training is due within 90 days after the applicable oath, start of duties, or election. Members who miss that deadline have another 60 days to finish or risk damages. The board provides or approves courses and must ensure at least one is free. Completion certificates are issued, and public bodies must keep training records open for public inspection. Training for one committee or public body satisfies this requirement and may count toward corresponding open-records training. Missing training does not invalidate the body’s actions.
Public loses access to security records
Beginning July 1, 2025, Iowa exempts two types of security-system information from public-records disclosure. One covers information from legislative-branch security cameras monitoring state-owned or state-leased property. The other covers state employee ID-card access systems for state-owned or state-leased buildings and rooms. Members of the public cannot obtain this exempt information through public-records requests.
Officials face stronger open-government penalties
Beginning July 1, 2025, Iowa public-body members who participate in open-meetings violations face $500 to $2,500 in damages each. Knowing participation carries $5,000 to $12,500 each; members who prove a legal defense avoid damages. Payments go to the state for state-body violations, or the local government for local-body violations. The Iowa Public Information Board can issue binding compliance orders and impose open-meetings and open-records penalties. Board-ordered damages cannot exceed what would be payable through court enforcement. The law also requires removal orders for members with prior open-meetings violations, without requiring earlier damages assessed during their term.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/23/2025
Passed House
Yes: 83 • No: 10
Senate vote • 4/17/2025
Passed Senate
Yes: 34 • No: 13
House vote • 3/24/2025
Passed House
Yes: 95 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Signed by Governor.
6/6/2025HouseReported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.
5/19/2025HouseMessage from House.
4/23/2025SenateImmediate message.
4/23/2025HousePassed House, yeas 83, nays 10.
4/23/2025HouseHouse concurred in Senate amendment H-1250.
4/23/2025HouseExplanation of vote.
4/22/2025HouseSenate amendment H-1250 filed.
4/17/2025HouseMessage from Senate.
4/17/2025HouseImmediate message.
4/17/2025SenatePassed Senate, yeas 34, nays 13.
4/17/2025SenateAmendment S-3109 ruled out of order.
4/17/2025SenateAmendment S-3110 adopted.
4/17/2025SenatePoint of order raised on S-3110, ruled in order.
4/17/2025SenateAmendment S-3110 filed.
4/17/2025SenateAmendment S-3109 filed, deferred.
4/17/2025SenatePlaced on calendar under unfinished business.
4/10/2025SenatePlaced on calendar.
4/2/2025legislatureCommittee report, recommending passage.
4/2/2025SenateSubcommittee recommends passage.
3/31/2025legislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 03/31/2025 11:30AM Senate Lounge.
3/27/2025SenateSubcommittee: Webster, Townsend, and Westrich.
3/26/2025SenateRead first time, referred to State Government.
3/25/2025SenateMessage from House.
3/25/2025SenateExplanation of vote.
3/25/2025House
Bill Text
As Introduced
Enrolled
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