Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to the secession of counties
Sponsored by Rep. David Jacoby (D)
Topics:Courts & civil law
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 19, 2025
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill allows a county to secede from the state of Iowa by the adoption of an ordinance. A county that adopts an ordinance to secede from the state of Iowa ceases to be a political subdivision of the state for all purposes and the county and the residents of the county shall no longer be subject to the laws or Constitution of the State of Iowa. The bill requires all property, real or personal, that is owned by the state of Iowa and located in a county that secedes from the state to remain under the ownership and control of the state.
Read the full explanation
The bill requires an ordinance to secede from the state of Iowa to have an effective date of not less than one year after the date of adoption. The bill does not apply unless the county has approval from the federal government and another state to become part of the other state, or unless the county has approval from the federal government to become its own state or territory.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§331.301A
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works