# Iowa SF 619: A bill for an act relating to the natural hazard mitigation financing program, the disaster recovery housing assistance program, the disaster recovery new housing program, post-loss assignment of benefits, the licensing and regulation of adjusters, appraisers, and umpires, and the Iowa economic emergency fund, and providing penalties, making appropriations, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 591, SSB 1188.) Effective date: 04/22/2025, 07/01/2025. Applicability date: Conditional, 01/01/2024. Iowa SF 619, A bill for an act relating to the natural hazard mitigation financing program, the disaster recovery housing assistance program, the disaster recovery new housing program, post-loss assignment of benefits, the licensing and regulation of adjusters, appraisers, and umpires, and the Iowa economic emergency fund, and providing penalties, making appropriations, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 591, SSB 1188.) Effective date: 04/22/2025, 07/01/2025. Applicability date: Conditional, 01/01/2024., is a 91st General Assembly (2025–2026) Senate bill sponsored by COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS; status signed, last action 2025-05-30 (NOBA: Final); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-18). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF619-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-18 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Iowa SF 619 - State: Iowa - Session: 91st General Assembly (2025–2026) - Title: A bill for an act relating to the natural hazard mitigation financing program, the disaster recovery housing assistance program, the disaster recovery new housing program, post-loss assignment of benefits, the licensing and regulation of adjusters, appraisers, and umpires, and the Iowa economic emergency fund, and providing penalties, making appropriations, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 591, SSB 1188.) Effective date: 04/22/2025, 07/01/2025. Applicability date: Conditional, 01/01/2024. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-04-02 - Last action: 2025-05-30, NOBA: Final - Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: ways and means - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (138 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 29 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Broader disaster housing help for households: benefit, high. Eligible homeowners and renters can receive disaster housing grants, loans, or forgivable loans, subject to available funding. Their primary home must have been damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster on or after June 16, 2021. A governor’s proclamation must cover their county and authorize aid… - Homeowners gain contractor claim protections: benefit, medium. When homeowners assign post-loss insurance benefits, residential contractors cannot rebate deductibles or charge prohibited assignment-cancellation or insurance-check processing fees. Contractors cannot act as public adjusters without a license or collect insurance money unrelated to covered proper… - Homeowners gain repair assignment cancellation rights: benefit, medium. Contractor agreements assigning post-loss insurance benefits must list work, materials, labor, fees, and total cost, without promising full coverage. They must protect the homeowner against specified claim liabilities and include rights notices in capitalized 14-point type, with cancellation notice… - Insurers face claim help and payment deadlines: benefit, medium. Insurers must provide needed forms, instructions, and reasonable help within 15 business days after notice of a first-party claim. Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing, property appraisal awards are binding and payable within 60 calendar days after receipt. Policy limits, terms, deductibles… - Policyholders gain public adjuster fee protections: benefit, medium. Before services begin, public adjusters must use a state-approved written contract identifying the parties, claim, services, fees, bond, expenses, and settlement and cancellation rights. Fees cannot exceed 15% of insurer-approved claim payments for noncatastrophic settlements or 10% for catastrophi… - Public adjuster fees and contracts limited: benefit, medium. Reasonable public adjuster fees cannot exceed 15% of insurer-approved payments for noncatastrophic disaster claims, or 10% for catastrophic claims. Reopened and supplemental claim fees must stay within contract limits. If the insurer pays or commits in writing to policy limits within five calendar… - Public adjusters must protect clients and money: benefit, medium. Public adjusters must put clients first, avoid conflicts, and obtain written consent before accepting or rejecting settlements or filing complaints. Door-to-door solicitation is prohibited, as is solicitation between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. For 72 hours after a catastrophic disaster, adjusters cannot ini… - More recovery options for damaged homes: benefit, medium. Eligible homeowners can get help with repairs or rehabilitation, or a replacement-home down payment and reasonable repairs. Aid is no longer limited to forgivable loans, and a case manager referral is no longer required. Damage must exceed insurance and other eligible disaster aid; local officials… - Replacement rent help for disaster survivors: benefit, medium. Eligible renters can get short-term help paying rent on replacement housing without a disaster case manager referral. A local administrator must find their damaged home repairable but currently unfit for short-term living, or beyond reasonable repair. Assistance cannot duplicate other local, state,… - Household tax break for housing grants: benefit, medium. Individuals can subtract qualifying disaster recovery new housing grants from Iowa taxable income, limited to grant money included in income. The Iowa Economic Development Authority must have approved and issued the grant. Applications must have been made between August 20 and December 31, 2024. Ef… - Business tax break for housing grants: benefit, medium. Businesses can subtract qualifying disaster recovery new housing grants from Iowa taxable income, limited to grant money included in income. The Iowa Economic Development Authority must have approved and issued the grant. Applications must have been made between August 20 and December 31, 2024. Eff… - Policyholders gain safeguards against appraisal conflicts: benefit, low. Appraisers must work fairly, consider important evidence, provide written itemized values and updates, and follow communication rules. They must disclose conflicts before work and withdraw within five business days if a conflict arises. They cannot also adjust or umpire the same claim, and can dela… - Investors get hazard bond tax exemption: benefit, low. Iowa Finance Authority bonds and notes issued for the natural hazard mitigation financing program are exempt from Iowa taxation. Interest paid on those bonds and notes is also exempt from Iowa income tax. The law sets no stated end date for these exemptions. - Iowa dedicates money to disaster recovery: benefit, low. Starting July 1, 2025, Iowa annually appropriates 10% of its Economic Emergency Fund’s prior-year maximum balance for disaster response, recovery, and citizen aid. This includes disaster housing programs, but spending requires a disaster-emergency proclamation, the governor’s direction, and Executi… - Floodplain and repayment limits on housing aid: cost, medium. Disaster housing aid cannot repair or rehabilitate a damaged home in a one-hundred-year floodplain. Replacement housing in that floodplain also cannot receive down-payment or repair aid. Homeowners who sell the affected or replacement home before their loan term ends must repay the remaining princi… - Adjusters face licensing and bond requirements: cost, medium. Public and independent adjusters need Iowa licenses; staff adjusters, attorneys acting professionally, and people providing only facts or technical help are exempt. Staff adjusters still follow the chapter except its financial-responsibility rules. License applicants need a surety bond of at least… - Adjusters face stronger penalties for misconduct: cost, medium. Adjusters can face probation, license denial, suspension, revocation, or civil penalties for fraud, legal violations, unpaid taxes or support, and failure to cooperate. Nonresident licenses become inactive after specified out-of-state license actions, which must be reported within seven calendar da… - Appraisal professionals face reporting and penalties: cost, medium. Appraisers and umpires face license discipline for fraud, incompetence, mishandling property, listed legal violations, and specified unpaid tax, support, or student-loan obligations. Business licenses can face discipline after a hearing when leaders knew or should have known of violations and faile… - Insurance appraisers and umpires need licenses: cost, low. Insurance appraisers and umpires generally need Iowa licenses, relevant qualifications, a passing exam, and suitable character and competence. Three years of qualifying professional experience is generally required, but the commissioner can waive it based on other qualifications. Work solely on cro… - Property claim appraisals get deadlines and costs: mixed, medium. Starting January 1, 2026, property policies issued, delivered, continued, or renewed in Iowa must include an appraisal clause. Either side can demand appraisal in writing over disputed actual cash value, scope of loss, or the amount payable. The claim must be properly reported, meet Iowa coverage o… - Appraisal oversight expands with confidential investigations: mixed, low. Insurance appraisers and umpires must follow Iowa’s insurance rules against unfair practices. They must keep customary appraisal records for at least three years after final claim resolution and allow business-hours inspections, except for litigation-preparation or legally privileged records. Disci… - Claimants split umpire costs with safeguards: mixed, low. Claimants and insurers each pay half of an appraisal umpire’s reasonable and necessary fees and expenses. Appraiser and umpire fees cannot depend on the award’s outcome; appraisers also cannot accept barter, gifts, favors, or in-kind payment. Umpires cannot charge if the parties settle before direc… - Broader licensing rules for insurance adjusters: mixed, low. Iowa regulates public, independent, and licensed staff adjusters, but excludes people working solely on crop hail or multiperil crop claims. Individuals generally must meet character, skill, financial, office, fee, and exam standards; Iowa residents must be at least 18, and nonresidents must hold a… - Adjuster license fees with exam relief: mixed, low. Adjuster license issuance or renewal costs $50 for 24 months; reinstatement costs $50, or $100 after discipline. Concurrent adjuster and appraiser applicants pay one license fee and can take one joint exam for one exam fee. Individual applicants generally must pass a written exam. Certain out-of-st… - Adjusters face license restoration and debt rules: mixed, low. Disciplined adjusters can seek license restoration by meeting licensing and exam requirements, passing a criminal history check, and proving restoration serves the public interest. They must show the grounds for discipline no longer exist. If an order sets no restoration terms, or the license was f… - Appraisal professionals face checks and license limits: mixed, low. Iowa can require criminal history checks for initial appraiser and umpire licenses and specified applications following discipline; applicants may pay applicable check fees. Disciplined professionals can seek restoration or reissuance by meeting licensing rules, paying fees, passing a criminal hist… - Appraisal professionals gain license restoration options: mixed, low. Appraisers and umpires can restore expired licenses within one year by applying, paying required fees, and documenting continuing education; afterward, they need new licenses. Appraisers must pay both reinstatement and renewal fees; the umpire expired-license reinstatement fee is $100. Eligible pro… - Hazard loans gain funding with limits: mixed, low. Iowa’s natural hazard program provides low-interest loans for eligible projects that reduce disaster risks. Beginning with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2025, the state can accept FEMA grants to fund these loans. Grant agreements and intended use plans must follow federal STORM Act requirements,… - Hazard reduction loans bring financing and fees: mixed, low. Iowa creates low-interest loans for eligible natural-hazard projects through its emergency management department and Finance Authority. Borrowers and costs must qualify under the federal STORM Act and an approved state plan; private entities cannot use loans to acquire real estate. Agencies set rat… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-17 | House | Passed House | pass | 91 | 1 | | | 2025-04-16 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 47 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2025-05-30: NOBA: Final (legislature) - 2025-04-24: Explanation of vote. (House) - 2025-04-22: Signed by Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-21: Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-21: Message from House. (Senate) - 2025-04-17: Immediate message. (House) - 2025-04-17: Passed House, yeas 91, nays 1. (House) - 2025-04-17: Substituted for HF 1012. (House) - 2025-04-17: Read first time, passed on file. (House) - 2025-04-17: Message from Senate. (House) - 2025-04-16: NOBA: Senate Floor (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Immediate message. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Amendment S-3106 filed, adopted. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Amendment S-3103 filed, adopted. (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Placed on Ways and Means calendar. (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Placed on calendar. (legislature) - 2025-04-10: Committee report, recommending passage. (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Subcommittee recommends passage. (legislature) - 2025-04-10: Subcommittee Meeting: 04/10/2025 8:30AM Senate Lounge. (Senate) - 2025-04-09: NOBA: Senate Full Approps (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Subcommittee: Rowley, Dotzler, and Koelker. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Referred to Ways and Means. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Committee report, approving bill. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Introduced, placed on Appropriations calendar. (Senate) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/SF619.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/SF619.pdf) ## Related bills - HF 2801: A bill for an act modifying the major economic growth attraction program, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 785.) Effective date: 10/02/20… (signed) - SF 2472: A bill for an act relating to state and local government taxes, fees, financial authority, and budgets, by modifying property assessment provisions, divisions… (signed) - HF 2601: A bill for an act relating to campaign finance, including participation in ballot issue campaigns by foreign nationals and investigations of election misconduc… (signed) - SF 2399: A bill for an act relating to bail and bond amounts and conditions. (Formerly SSB 3162.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. (signed) - SF 2471: A bill for an act relating to fees for lifetime fur harvester licenses. (Formerly SF 2317, SSB 3121.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. (signed) - SF 2299: A bill for an act relating to the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program. (Formerly SF 2176.) Vetoed 6-2-26. (vetoed) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/SF619.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/SF619.pdf) ## Related - [HF 2801: A bill for an act modifying the major economic growth attraction program, and i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-HF2801-2025-2026) - [SF 2472: A bill for an act relating to state and local government taxes, fees, financial…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF2472-2025-2026) - [HF 2601: A bill for an act relating to campaign finance, including participation in ball…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-HF2601-2025-2026) - [SF 2399: A bill for an act relating to bail and bond amounts and conditions. (Formerly S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF2399-2025-2026) - [SF 2471: A bill for an act relating to fees for lifetime fur harvester licenses. (Former…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF2471-2025-2026) - [SF 2299: A bill for an act relating to the district-to-community college sharing or conc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF2299-2025-2026) - [Iowa bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/iowa/bills) - [Iowa state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/iowa) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IA-SF619-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-18).