Providing for an expedited filing service for filers of business documents administered by the secretary of state, and providing fees

Sponsored by the Senate Ways and Means (successor To Ssb 1003) Committee

Topics:Business & economy State government

Same legislation: SSB 1003, HSB 17, HF 198, SF 285, HF 985

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedFebruary 3, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 19, 2025
Done: Senate committeeFebruary 12, 2025
Done: Passes the SenateApril 14, 202647–0
Done: House committeeApril 21, 2026
Done: Passes the HouseMay 12, 202590–0
Done: To the GovernorMay 5, 2026
Done: Signed into lawJune 2, 2026

Signed into law What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary The Secretary of State would offer new, faster ways for businesses to file their paperwork. People using these one-hour or same-day services would pay extra fees of $200 or $125. The Secretary must also give a written confirmation whenever someone uses these fast filing options.¹

Read the official explanation

BACKGROUND. This bill amends a provision enacted in 2021 Iowa Acts, chapter 165, section 253, which requires the secretary of state (secretary) to establish and administer programs providing extra services to filers of documents under a number of Code sections regulating business entities.15) requires the secretary to offer a service in which a business document is filed on an expedited basis. This includes two additional surcharges for expedited services: for a two-day service, an additional $50, and for a five-day service, an additional $15. 13). Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the office of the secretary for the exclusive purpose of administering business organization statutes (Code Title XII).111A). BILL’S PROVISIONS. The bill provides two additional surcharges for such services: for a one-hour service, an additional $200, and for same-day service, an additional $125. At the time of the expedited filing, the secretary must provide a written confirmation of an expedited filing.

Why it matters. People filing documents for business entities like corporations, limited liability companies, and nonprofits can now pay for one-hour or same-day expedited services through the secretary of state. These new services would require an additional $200 surcharge for one-hour filings and a $125 surcharge for same-day filings.²

Full bill text · What changed before it passed³

House subcommittee

Named April 20, 2026. On April 21, 2026 it recommended passage.

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

Fiscal note

AI summary This bill allows the Secretary of State to set new fees for business services and creates two new expedited filing surcharges. It is estimated that revenue to the Business Services Modernization Fund will increase by up to $2.0 million annually beginning in fiscal year 2026. The increase in revenue to the Business Administration Fund from the new filing surcharges cannot be estimated because it is unknown how many businesses will use those services.⁴

Read the fiscal note

Description

House File 985 relates to fees for business services offered by the Secretary of State (SOS) that support the duties of the Office.

The Bill requires the SOS to adopt administrative rules pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 17A when setting additional fee amounts for performing services. The Bill prohibits the SOS from collecting additional fees totaling more than $2.0 million for services in a fiscal year. The Bill requires the SOS to deposit any additional fee amounts collected into the Business Services Modernization Fund. The Bill also renames the Technology Modernization Fund to the Business Services Modernization Fund, and makes the Fund permanent by eliminating its repeal.

The Bill also creates two additional surcharges. The Bill creates an expedited filing service at a cost of $250 for a one-hour filing service and $175 for a same-day filing service. The Bill also requires the SOS to provide written confirmation of an expedited filing. Any moneys collected from the two additional surcharges will be deposited into the Business Administration Fund.

Background

Iowa Code section 9.4 requires the SOS to collect certain fees, including fees determined by administrative rule. Iowa Code section 9.4A created the Technology Modernization Fund. The Technology Modernization Fund was established to modernize technology used by the SOS. Funds are available until fully expended or until June 30, 2026, whichever occurs first. Iowa Code section 9.15 requires the SOS to offer expedited filing services and allows the SOS to impose a surcharge for the service. Currently, the SOS offers two additional surcharges: $50 for a two-day service and $15 for a five-day service. Surcharge revenue is deposited into the Business Administration Fund created to administer business organization statutes. The following business entity forms may request the SOS’s expedited business filing services:

Uniform partnership pursuant to Iowa Code section 486A.105A.
Uniform limited partnership pursuant to Iowa Code section 488.206A.
Uniform limited liability company pursuant to Iowa Code section 489.122A.
Business corporation pursuant to Iowa Code section 490.120A.
Corporation for pecuniary profit pursuant to Iowa Code section 491.5A.
Cooperative association pursuant to Iowa Code sections 499.44A and 501A.201A.
Closed cooperative pursuant to Iowa Code section 501.105A.
Revised Iowa nonprofit corporation pursuant to Iowa Code section 504.111A.

Assumptions

The SOS estimates that there will be a maximum increase in revenue to the Business Services Modernization Fund of $2.0 million.
A revenue increase as a result of a two-hour filing service and a same-day filing service cannot be estimated as it is unknown how many business entities will use the services.

Fiscal Impact

House File 985 is estimated to increase revenue to the Business Services Modernization Fund by up to $2.0 million annually beginning in FY 2026. An increase in revenue to the Business Administration Fund as a result of a two-hour and a same-day filing service cannot be estimated as it is unknown how many business entities will use these services.

Source

Secretary of State

Business Entities, Expedited Filings · April 22, 2025

Reading a fiscal note⁵

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§9.15

How the Code works⁶

Lobbying

2 for · 0 against · 11 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Study bill

SSB 1003Renumbered HSB 17Renumbered

91st General Assembly

HF 198Renumberedfrom HSB 17 SF 285Renumberedfrom SSB 1003 HF 985Passed a chamberfrom HF 198 SF 629Became lawfrom SF 285

Notes

The summary is written by an AI model from the official explanation. It can miss details; the explanation and the bill are what count. ↩
Written by an AI model from the official explanation and fiscal note only, for bills that passed a chamber, drew heavy lobbying or carry a large cost. It doesn’t weigh whether the bill is a good idea. ↩
The explanation is printed with the bill as introduced and written by the Legislative Services Agency, the Legislature’s nonpartisan staff. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected in it. ↩
Written by an AI model from the newest fiscal note. It can miss details; the note itself is what counts. ↩
Fiscal notes are nonpartisan cost estimates from the Legislative Services Agency’s Fiscal Services Division. The newest is listed first. ↩
Code sections are read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. ↩