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

SF 2368: Requiring cost-benefit analyses of county jail projects, and including effective date provisions

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 requires a county to conduct a study before approving a project to build a new jail, renovate percent or more of the existing jail property, or expand the grounds or structure of the jail. The study must compare the cost difference between the project and contracting with another county to utilize the other county’s jail facilities. The study shall include all of the following metrics: (1) the average monthly total prisoners booked into the current jail, including county residents, noncounty residents, those booked at the current jail, and those needing to be booked at a jail in a different county but whose case originated in the county; (2) the average food and medical costs per prisoner per year; (3) the average annual staffing costs; (4) the average annual equipment costs including depreciation, replacement costs, and required planning costs for the following five years; (5) the average costs for transporting prisoners to and from the jail; and (6) a list of surrounding counties’ jails including the rated capacities of each jail and the actual capacity of each jail.

Sponsors

Local Government committee

Cost

No fiscal note

House subcommittee · named March 11, 2026

  • Rep. Blaine C. Watkins (R) · blaine.watkins@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Jennifer J. Smith (R) · jennifer.smith@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Adam Zabner (D) · adam.zabner@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 1 for, 1 against

For: VALOR Iowa

Against: Iowa State Association of Counties

In plain words

  1. February 10, 2026Filed in the Senate and sent to the Local Government committee · as SSB 3137
  2. February 10, 2026Senate subcommittee named: Bousselot, Driscoll and Hardman · as SSB 3137
  3. February 16, 2026Subcommittee recommended passing it · as SSB 3137
  4. February 17, 2026Approved by the Senate committee, and given a new number: SF 2368 · as SSB 3137
  5. February 18, 2026Filed in the Senate
  6. February 18, 2026Approved by the Senate committee
  7. March 9, 2026Passed the Senate, 43–2
  8. March 10, 2026Arrived in the House
  9. March 11, 2026House subcommittee named: Watkins, Smith and Zabner
  10. March 18, 2026Subcommittee recommended passing it
  11. March 19, 2026Approved by the House committee
  12. March 19, 2026Committee vote: 20–1

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/SF2368