IowaSF 221891st General Assembly (2025–2026)Senate

A bill for an act relating to state regulatory compliance and eligibility requirements, including by modifying provisions related to the verification of the identity and employment eligibility of individuals by the board of educational examiners, school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools; the provision of a false social security number to an employer, prospective employer, or a potential employee; qualifications for employment, professional licensure, voter registration, and bail; making penalties applicable; and including applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 3015.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2026.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

11 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 9 costs, 0 mixed.

Professional licenses require lawful presence checks

Beginning July 1, 2026, Iowa establishes a state clearinghouse for federal SAVE immigration-status checks for professional licenses. Covered licensing boards cannot issue or renew licenses unless the clearinghouse verifies the applicant’s lawful presence. This includes covered boards created after January 1, 1978. Findings of unlawful presence must go to ICE after any permitted appeal.

Employers face false number penalties

Beginning July 1, 2026, employers cannot knowingly hire or keep workers who provided Social Security numbers belonging to someone else. The Department of Workforce Development enforces a $10,000 civil penalty per violation. A fourth or later violation at a location requires that location to close. It can reopen after the majority owner and all managers there complete department-developed compliance training. Employers also commit a criminal offense by knowingly giving a prospective employee a fraudulent Social Security number to hire them.

Workers can challenge incorrect status checks

Beginning July 1, 2026, covered workers and professional-license applicants can challenge specified E-Verify or SAVE results they believe are wrong. They must submit their challenge and supporting documents within 10 calendar days after receiving the results. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing must communicate its decision within seven calendar days after receiving the challenge. That decision is final agency action.

Educators face added license checks

For applications submitted beginning July 1, 2026, educators must show work authorization to get or renew an Iowa license. Educators exempt from renewal must provide this proof every five years; the board must accept specified federal documents. Initial applicants must submit fingerprints for a national criminal history check and undergo a state background investigation. The board must review sex-offender, Iowa court, child-abuse, and dependent-adult-abuse records at renewal, or every five years without renewal. The board may charge a reasonable fee for record reviews.

Public employers must check new workers

Beginning July 1, 2026, covered Iowa employers must check new hires’ work eligibility through the federal E-Verify system. Covered employers include state and local government, the Legislature, Regents institutions, school districts, and accredited nonpublic, charter, and innovation zone schools. Results showing a person lacks lawful status must go to federal immigration agencies, including ICE, after any applicable appeal.

Workers face false number charges

Beginning July 1, 2026, giving an employer or prospective employer someone else’s Social Security number creates criminal exposure. The rule applies when someone does this to get or keep a job, or obtain anything else of value. The supplied provision does not state a penalty amount.

Government compliance pauses during federal barriers

Beginning July 1, 2026, the law’s requirements pause when federal access or authorization for E-Verify or SAVE is denied or terminated. They also pause if federal funding or operation of either system stops, and resume automatically when access returns. State and local entities and employees face no civil or criminal liability for noncompliance during that pause. A federal injunction also pauses conflicting requirements for affected local governments and protects them and their employees from state penalties for compliance. State-agency requirements continue independently when the injunction leaves them in effect.

False voter oaths bring criminal exposure

Beginning July 1, 2026, falsely swearing to Iowa’s required voter-registration oath counts as first-degree election misconduct. Prosecutors have five years after first-degree election misconduct to bring charges, instead of the otherwise applicable three years.

Forcible felony defendants face detention presumption

Beginning July 1, 2026, people charged with forcible felonies are presumed dangerous and unable to be safely released. Detention without bail requires a court finding of probable cause and a detention motion from the prosecutor or court. Defendants can overcome the presumption by showing that release conditions will reasonably assure other people’s safety. They must prove this is more likely than not.

Iowa voters face recurring citizenship checks

Beginning July 1, 2026, Iowa must attempt citizenship checks through federal SAVE monthly for new voters and annually for all registered voters. Counties must mark unverified records unconfirmed and send notice with instructions. Registration is canceled without citizenship proof within 90 days after the voter receives notice. People unlawfully present cannot qualify to register. Registration forms must include a U.S. citizenship oath and a warning about penalties for false information.

Unlawfully present defendants face detention presumption

Beginning July 1, 2026, unlawfully present defendants charged with indictable offenses face a presumption that release conditions cannot secure court attendance. The court must find probable cause for the offense and find unlawful presence more likely than not under federal law. The prosecutor or court must then seek pretrial detention. Defendants can overcome the presumption by proving, more likely than not, that adequate release conditions will secure their appearance at trial.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 233 • No: 46

House vote • 4/29/2026

Passed House

Yes: 71 • No: 20

Senate vote • 4/28/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 37 • No: 10

House vote • 3/17/2026

Passed House

Yes: 78 • No: 16

Senate vote • 2/25/2026