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

HF 81: Relating to obscene materials involving minors, and providing penalties

Became HF 826 · Its progress continues under the new number.

What it does

This bill relates to obscene materials involving minors. The bill defines “obscene material involving a minor” as any visual depiction that depicts or appears to depict a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act that the average person, taking the visual depiction as a whole and applying contemporary adult community standards, would find appeals to the prurient interest and is patently offensive, and, when taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, scientific, political, or artistic value. The bill prohibits a person from knowingly producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing with the intent to distribute any obscene material involving a minor, or attempting any such conduct.

Sponsors

Rep. Helena Hayes (R)

Cost

See the fiscal note

House File 826 creates a new criminal offense, and the fiscal impact is unknown. Figure 2 shows the average State cost per offense for an aggravated misdemeanor and Class D felony. The estimated impact to the General Fund includes operating costs incurred by t…

House subcommittee · named January 21, 2025

  • Rep. Charley Thomson (R) · charley.thomson@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Samantha Fett (R) · samantha.fett@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Dr. Megan L. Srinivas (D) · megan.srinivas@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 13 for, 0 against

For: Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa County Attorneys Association; Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance; Katherine Bogaards; Network Against Human Trafficking; PELLA PAC; Protect My Innocence; Soaring Hearts; The Family Leader; The Family Leader Foundation; and 1 more

In plain words

  1. January 16, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee
  2. January 21, 2025House subcommittee named: Thomson, C., Fett and Srinivas
  3. January 23, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it
  4. March 4, 2025Approved by the House committee
  5. March 4, 2025Committee vote: 20–0
  6. March 6, 2025Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 826
  7. March 31, 2025Withdrawn

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/HF81