Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to city civil service employees and related procedures and including effective date provisions
Sponsored by the House Local Government Committee
Topics:Courts & civil lawCrime & correctionsCities & counties
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 23, 2025
- Done: House committeeFebruary 25, 2025
- Done: Passes the HouseApril 17, 202581–12
- Skipped: Senate committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the SenateMarch 17, 202537–9
- Done: To the GovernorMay 19, 2025
- Done: Signed into lawMay 19, 2025
SF 311 became law → The same legislation passed as SF 311, so this version was set aside. Go to SF 311 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Cities with civil service commissions would no longer be allowed to create boards for citizens to review police officer conduct. The law also changes how many civil service commissioners a city must have based on its population. Additionally, it updates the rules for how city employees are disciplined and how they can appeal those decisions in court.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to city civil service.1. The bill strikes language authorizing a city council to establish, by ordinance, the number of civil service commissioners at not less than three in a city having a population of more than 70,000. The bill requires a city council in a city having a population of more than 50,000 to establish, by ordinance, the number of civil service commissioners at not less than five and not more than seven. The bill modifies standards and procedures for the removal, discharge, demotion, or suspension of a city civil service employee. The bill modifies standards and procedures for appeals of such actions to a city civil service commission, including procedures and standards for hearings on such appeals and procedures applicable before such hearings are held. The bill also modifies standards and procedures for appeal of such decisions by a city civil service commission to the district court, including modifying the applicable scope of review and providing for reasonable attorney fees, expert fees, and costs and expenses to be awarded to an officer who substantially prevails in such an appeal. The bill takes effect upon enactment.
Why it matters. Cities with civil service commissions would be prohibited from creating boards for citizen review of officer conduct. City councils in cities with populations over 50,000 must now set their number of civil service commissioners between five and seven, while cities with over 70,000 people must have at least three. The bill also changes the rules for how city civil service employees are disciplined and how they can appeal those actions through commissions or district courts.2
Changed since by amendments H-1235, S-3022, S-3008; see Amendments.
House subcommittee
Named February 3, 2025 (as HSB 82). On February 13, 2025 it recommended amendment and 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
3 written public comments to its subcommittee: February 13, 2025 (3) · on the Legislature’s site
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§400.22A
Amends§364.3§400.1§400.18§400.19§400.23§400.24§400.26§400.27
Lobbying
2 for · 10 against · 14 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Tried before
91st General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None became law, though one got through a chamber.
- SF 2325 Relating to city civil service employees and related procedures and including effective da…90th General Assembly · Passed Senate · same titlePassed a chamber
Matched by wording or an identical title.