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

SF 148: Relating to noneconomic damage awards against health care providers, and including effective date and applicability provisions

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

What it does

This bill relates to noneconomic damage awards against health care providers. The bill provides that damages for loss of dependent care due to death of or severe injury to a spouse or parent who is the primary caregiver are considered economic damages. The bill limits the amount of noneconomic damages that a jury can award a plaintiff if there is a substantial or permanent loss or impairment of a bodily function, substantial disfigurement, or death to $1 million. The bill does not amend the current exception to the cap for cases in which the defendant’s actions constitute actual malice.

Sponsors

Judiciary committee

Cost

Can’t be estimated

House File 161 may reduce future settlements paid by the State Appeal Board from the General Fund and by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. However, the extent of this decrease cannot be estimated. Any fiscal impact to the Judicial Branch cannot be …

Lobbying · 29 for, 3 against

For: Americans For Prosperity; Bellin Gundersen Health System, Inc.; Blank Childrens Hospital; Broadlawns Medical Center; Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce; Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce; Faith & Freedom Coalition; Great River Health System; Iowa Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Iowa Assisted Living Association; Iowa Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers; Iowa Association of Rural Health Clinics; and 17 more

Against: AFSCME Iowa Council 61; Iowa Association for Justice; Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

In plain words

  1. January 26, 2023Filed in the Senate
  2. January 26, 2023Approved by the Senate committee
  3. February 7, 2023Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
  4. February 8, 2023Withdrawn

From public records at legis.iowa.gov, compiled by Funnel (iowafunnel.com), an independent, nonpartisan site. Current as of Monday, November 9, 2026. https://iowafunnel.com/bills/90/SF148