91st General Assembly · Funnel one-pager · Monday, November 9, 2026
SF 189: Relating to medical malpractice by exempting claims involving sexual assault from the limitations on noneconomic damages
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 creates an exception to a medical malpractice limitation on damages in personal injury actions that involve a sexual assault. The bill provides that if the health care provider is a defendant in a personal injury action, the limitation on noneconomic damages does not apply if the defendant’s action is sexual in nature regardless of if the action was committed under the guise of medical diagnosis, counseling, or treatment or if the patient believed at the time the act occurred it was for medical diagnosis, counseling, or treatment.
Sponsors
Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Tony Bisignano (D), Sen. Matt Blake (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Thomas Townsend (D), Sen. Janice Weiner (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D)
Cost
No fiscal note
Senate subcommittee · named February 4, 2025
- Sen. Mike Bousselot (R) · mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov
- Sen. Matt Blake (D) · matt.blake@legis.iowa.gov
- Sen. Jason Schultz (R) · jason.schultz@legis.iowa.gov
Lobbying · 2 for, 1 against
For: Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa
Against: Iowa Insurance Associates
In plain words
- February 3, 2025Filed in the Senate and sent to the Judiciary committee
- February 4, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Bousselot, Blake and Schultz
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/SF189