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

HF 891: Relating to obscenity, including the exposure of a minor to an obscene performance and admittance of a minor to a premises with obscene performances, establishing a private civil cause of action, and providing penalties

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 obscenity, including the exposure of a minor to an obscene performance and admittance of a minor to a premises with obscene performances, and establishes a private civil cause of action. The bill defines “obscene performance” as a visual performance by a person, whether compensated or uncompensated, that exposes the person’s genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast, including prosthetics and artificial sexual organs or substitutes therefor, or involves the person engaging in a sex act, masturbation, excretory function, or sadomasochistic abuse, which the average person, viewing the performance as a whole and applying contemporary community standards with respect to what is suitable to be viewed by minors, would find appeals to the prurient interest and is patently offensive, and the performance taken as a whole lacks serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific value.

Cost

Can’t be estimated

House File 891 creates a new criminal offense, and the fiscal impact is unknown. Figure 2 shows the average State cost per offense for a serious misdemeanor and aggravated misdemeanor. The estimated impact to the General Fund includes operating costs incurred …

House subcommittee · named February 11, 2025

Rep. Helena Hayes (R) · helena.hayes@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Heather Hora (R) · heather.hora@legis.iowa.gov
Rep. Elinor A. Levin (D) · elinor.levin@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 7 for, 14 against

For: Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa Minuteman Civil Defense Corps; PELLA PAC; Protect My Innocence; The Family Leader; The Family Leader Foundation; VALOR Iowa

Against: American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Bitches Get Stuff Done; Des Moines Performing Arts; Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; Independent Venue Association of Iowa; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund; Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa Safe Schools; National Association of Social Workers, Iowa Chapter; One Iowa; One Iowa Action; and 2 more

In plain words

February 11, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Education committee · as HSB 158
February 11, 2025House subcommittee named: Hayes, Hora and Levin · as HSB 158
February 18, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 158
March 4, 2025Approved by the House committee · as HSB 158
March 4, 2025Committee vote: 23–0 · as HSB 158
March 7, 2025Filed in the House
March 7, 2025Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 891 · as HSB 158
March 17, 2025Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
April 3, 2025Sent to the House Education committee