Sign in

Back to the bill

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

SF 291: Relating to vexatious litigation 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 vexatious litigation and provides for penalties. The bill provides that a person commits a serious misdemeanor if the person or the person’s counsel files, brings, defends, or asserts a civil claim in bad faith or with no reasonable basis in law or fact. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.

Sponsors

Sen. Adrian Dickey (R)

Cost

No fiscal note

Senate subcommittee · named February 17, 2025

  • Sen. Mike Bousselot (R) · mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov
  • Sen. Matt Blake (D) · matt.blake@legis.iowa.gov
  • Sen. Scott Webster (R) · scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 0 for, 1 against

Against: Iowa State Bar Association

In plain words

  1. February 12, 2025Filed in the Senate and sent to the Judiciary committee
  2. February 17, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Bousselot, Blake and Webster
  3. February 25, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it

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/SF291