Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to medical malpractice claims, including expert witness certificate of merit affidavits
Topics:Health care
Same legislation: SSB 1136
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 19, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 19, 2025
- Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- 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 relates to expert witness certificate of merit affidavits in medical malpractice claims. A certificate of merit affidavit is a sworn statement from a medical expert that a claim for personal injury or wrongful death against a health care provider has merit. In an action for personal injury or wrongful death against a health care provider based upon alleged negligence in the practice of that profession or in patient care, the bill requires the plaintiff, within days of the defendant’s answer, to serve upon the defendant a certificate of merit affidavit for each expert witness who will testify with respect to the issues of standard of care, breach of standard of care, and causation.
Read the full explanation
A certificate of merit affidavit must be signed by the expert witness and certify the purpose for calling the expert witness by providing under the oath of the expert witness the expert witness’s statement of familiarity with the applicable standard of care; statement that the standard of care was breached by the health care provider; and statement that the breach of the standard of care was the cause of the injury or death. The bill provides any motion to challenge whether a certificate of merit was signed under oath must be made within days from the date the certificate of merit was filed. Any other motion to challenge a certificate of merit must be made at least days before trial. A party may not withdraw and refile a certificate of merit unless it is to provide the missing expert witness’s signature or a notary signature. A party is also not allowed to voluntarily dismiss the action and refile it.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
House subcommittee
Named February 19, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Iowa Code it changes
Amends§147.140
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
8 for · 8 against · 9 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
91st General Assembly
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