90th General Assembly · Iowa Funnel one-pager · Monday, November 9, 2026

HSB 197: HSB 197

Died when the session ended · The 2024 session adjourned on April 19, 2024, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died.

What it does

This bill relates to procedures governing disciplinary action taken against a city employee holding civil service rights as provided by Code chapter 400. The bill strikes language providing that an employee holding civil service rights shall not be subject to disciplinary action arbitrarily, but may be subject to disciplinary action due to any act or failure to act by the employee that is in contravention of law, city policies, or standard operating procedures, or that in the judgment of the person imposing disciplinary action, is sufficient to show that the employee is unsuitable or unfit for employment.

Cost

See the fiscal note

The potential fiscal impact of the Bill is illustrated in Figure 1, which shows a range based on the number of annual trials statewide attributed to the Bill.

House subcommittee · named February 22, 2023

Rep. Austin Harris (R) · austin.harris@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Michael R. Bergan (R) · michael.bergan@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Amy Nielsen (D) · amy.nielsen@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 4 for, 11 against

For: Iowa Fraternal Order of Police; Iowa Peace Officers Association; Iowa Professional Fire Fighters; Iowa State Police Association

Against: City of Cedar Falls; City of Coralville; City of Davenport; City of Des Moines; City of Iowa City; Iowa League of Cities; Iowa Police Chief Association (FKA Iowa Police Executive Forum); Iowa State Bar Association; Jordan True; Metropolitan Coalition; NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Iowa-Nebraska

In plain words

February 22, 2023Filed in the House and sent to the State Government committee
February 22, 2023House subcommittee named: Harris, Bergan and Nielsen
February 23, 2023Subcommittee recommended passing it with changes