Relating to the delegation of custodial rights and duties with respect to a child

Sponsored by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Sen. Sandy Salmon (R)

Topics:Health care

Same legislation: HF 374, SF 329, HF 644

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedFebruary 13, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 24, 2025
Done: Senate committeeFebruary 28, 2025
Done: Passes the SenateApril 22, 202546–0
Skipped: House committeeSkipped
Done: Passes the HouseMarch 13, 202591–4
Done: To the GovernorMay 19, 2025
Done: Signed into lawJune 11, 2025

HF 644 became law → The same legislation passed as HF 644, so this version was set aside. Go to HF 644 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

This bill relates to the delegation of custodial rights and duties with respect to a child. If a court transfers legal custody of a child to the department of health and human services (HHS), the bill allows HHS to delegate HHS’s rights and duties as custodian of the child to a person licensed to provide child foster care. Delegable rights and duties are the duty to protect, train, and discipline the child; the duty to provide food, clothing, housing, and medical care for the child; and the right to consent to emergency medical care.

Read the full explanation

Delegable rights and duties are subject to any residual rights and duties of the child’s parent or guardian. The bill clarifies that a parent’s or guardian’s residual rights and duties do not preclude HHS from consenting to a child’s participation in an individualized education program, or emergency or routine medical care for a child that will allow the child to experience childhood and participate in activities in a manner similar to the child’s peers. “Routine medical care” includes but is not limited to preventative care, also known as wellness care, not including the administration of a vaccination; nonemergency medical care; and use of necessary medication. The bill requires HHS to notify an individual licensee and the parents of a child if HHS delegates HHS’s right to consent to emergency or routine medical care, or participation in an individualized education program (IEP), on behalf of the child to the individual licensee. The bill requires HHS to notify the department of education if HHS delegates the right to consent to participation in an IEP on behalf of a child to an individual licensee.

From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Changed since by amendments S-3058, S-3036; see Amendments. Full bill text · What changed before it passed

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§232.2 §237.10

Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works

Lobbying

2 for · 0 against · 16 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

HF 374RenumberedHouse companion SF 329RenumberedSenate companion HF 644Became lawfrom HF 374 SF 554Didn’t advancefrom SF 329

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.