91st General Assembly · Funnel one-pager · Monday, November 9, 2026

HF 2154: Relating to the placement of siblings when custody of the siblings has been transferred to the department of health and human services or an agency for placement

Died when the session ended · The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died.

What it does

This bill relates to the placement of siblings together when custody of the siblings has been transferred to the department of health and human services (HHS) or an agency for placement (placing agency). Under current law, HHS or a placing agency must make reasonable efforts to place siblings together whenever possible if such placement is in the best interests of each child. The bill makes the requirement to place siblings together inapplicable, and removes HHS’s requirement to place siblings together, when a child’s custody, or the child’s sibling’s custody, was previously transferred to HHS, HHS placed the child or the sibling, and HHS determined that the child and the sibling have little or no established relationship.

Cost

No fiscal note

House subcommittee · named January 26, 2026

Rep. Ryan Weldon (R) · ryan.weldon@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Brett Barker (R) · brett.barker@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Rob Johnson (D) · rob.johnson@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 0 for, 1 against

Against: Iowa State Bar Association

In plain words

January 26, 2026Filed in the House and sent to the Health and Human Services committee
January 26, 2026House subcommittee named: Weldon, Barker, Johnson and R