Amendment H-8157 to SF 579

Filed March 5, 2026 in the House by

In plain words

AI summary This amendment changes the requirement for cities to have a local civil rights agency from a requirement to an option for cities with a population of 29,000 or more. It also adds a rule that local agencies must tell people filing a complaint that they have the option to file with the Iowa office of civil rights instead. Additionally, it requires local agencies to notify the Iowa office of civil rights whenever they notify parties of their right to transfer a complaint.¹

What it changes

1. Page 1, before line 1 by inserting: “Section
2. Section 216.19, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: All cities shall, to the extent possible, protect the rights of the citizens of this state secured by the Iowa civil rights Act. A city or local government shall not enact any ordinance or other law which is broader or has different categories of unfair or discriminatory practices than those provided in this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as indicating any of the following: Sec. ___. Section 216.19, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2026, is amended by striking the paragraph. Sec. ___. Section 216.19, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
3. A city with a population of twenty-nine thousand, or greater, shall may maintain an independent local civil rights agency or commission consistent with agency rules adopted pursuant to chapter 17A . An agency or commission for which a staff is provided shall have control over such staff. A city required to maintain that maintains a local civil rights agency or commission shall structure and adequately fund the agency or commission in order to effect cooperative undertakings with the Iowa office of civil rights and to aid in effectuating the purposes of this chapter .”
4. Page 1, line 1, by striking “2025” and inserting “2026”
5. Page 1, line 15, after “(1)” by inserting “(a)”
6. Page 1, after line 21 by inserting: “(b) The local agency or local commission shall notify the Iowa office of civil rights of the complaint upon the provision of notice to all parties.”
7. Page 1, after line 33 by inserting: “NEW SUBSECTION .
8. A local agency or local commission that accepts complaints shall inform a person filing a complaint that the person may file the complaint with the Iowa office of civil rights in lieu of filing with the local agency or local commission. Sec. ___. COMPLAINTS FILED WITH LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONS AND LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS AGENCIES. If, as of the effective date of this Act, a complaint has been pending with a local civil rights commission or local civil rights agency for at least twelve months from the filing date of the complaint, the local civil rights commission or local civil rights agency shall provide all parties notice of a party’s right to direct transfer of the complaint to the Iowa office of civil rights. The local commission or agency shall also notify the Iowa office of civil rights of all the pending cases for which notice was provided pursuant to this section. Sec. ___. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.”
9. Title page, by striking lines 1 and 2 and inserting “An Act relating to local laws implementing the Iowa civil rights Act of 1965, local civil rights commissions, and local civil rights agencies, and including effective date provisions.”
10. By renumbering as necessary.

Official amendment (PDF) · In the Bill Book