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

HF 2706: Relating to judicial officers, including magistrate appointments in judicial election districts, senior magistrates, and judicial officer compensation, and including effective date provisions

Signed into law

What it does

This bill relates to judicial officers, including magistrate appointments in judicial election districts, senior magistrates, and judicial officer compensation. MAGISTRATES APPOINTED IN JUDICIAL ELECTION DISTRICTS. The bill provides for the appointment and service of magistrates in judicial election districts rather than individual counties and makes conforming changes. The bill changes county judicial magistrate appointing commissions to judicial election district magistrate appointing commissions, provides for appointment to such commissions, and provides for commission appointee certification to and maintenance of appointee records by district court administrators rather than clerks of district court.

Sponsors

Judiciary (companion To Sf 2401 By Committee on Judiciary) committee

Cost

Minimal

8 million beginning in FY 2028 by reducing magistrate positions. There may be a minimal fiscal impact on counties as each commission will cover a larger geographic area, and travel reimbursement costs may increase for commission members. Division II — Senior M…

House subcommittee · named February 11, 2026

  • Rep. Steven C. Holt (R) · steven.holt@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Bill Gustoff (R) · bill.gustoff@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Rick L. Olson (D) · rick.olson@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 6 for, 2 against

For: Governor's Office; Iowa Association for Justice; Iowa Dept. of Public Safety; Iowa Judges Association; Iowa Judicial Branch - Supreme Court; Iowa State Bar Association

Against: Iowa Magistrate's Association; Iowa State Sheriffs' & Deputies' Association

In plain words

  1. February 11, 2026Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee · as HSB 722
  2. February 11, 2026House subcommittee named: Holt, Gustoff and Olson · as HSB 722
  3. February 12, 2026Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 722
  4. February 19, 2026Approved by the House committee · as HSB 722
  5. February 19, 2026Committee vote: 18–2 · as HSB 722
  6. February 23, 2026Filed in the House
  7. February 23, 2026Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 2706 · as HSB 722
  8. April 1, 2026Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
  9. April 1, 2026Passed the House, 84–8
  10. April 2, 2026Arrived in the Senate
  11. April 6, 2026Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
  12. April 7, 2026Took the place of SF 2401 on the Senate floor (the same legislation)
  13. April 7, 2026Passed the Senate, 41–4
  14. April 30, 2026Sent to the Governor
  15. April 30, 2026Signed into law
  16. June 2, 2026Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted

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/91/HF2706