Relating to local laws implementing the Iowa civil rights Act of 1965, local civil rights commissions, and local civil rights agencies, and including effective date provisions

Sponsored by the Senate Local Government Committee

Topics:Civil rights Cities & counties

Same legislation: SSB 1184

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedFebruary 25, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 25, 2025
Done: Senate committeeMarch 6, 2025
Done: Passes the SenateMarch 26, 202543–4
Done: House committeeApril 1, 2025
Done: Passes the HouseMarch 5, 202660–26
Done: To the GovernorMarch 10, 2026
Done: Signed into lawMarch 10, 2026

Signed into law What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary If someone files a civil rights complaint against a local government group, the case must be sent to the Iowa office of civil rights to be handled. People can also ask to move their case to the state office if their local complaint is not resolved within a certain amount of time. Local agencies must also notify everyone involved about their right to transfer a case and must keep the state office informed of certain complaints.¹

Read the official explanation

The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. This bill relates to local civil rights commissions or local civil rights agencies. The bill provides that any complaint that is filed with a local commission or local agency where a party is a political subdivision shall be referred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing. The bill provides that a local agency or local commission complaint, upon request by any party, shall be transferred to the Iowa office of civil rights for processing if the complaint alleges a violation of the Iowa civil rights Act of 1965 and has not been resolved within months of the filing date of the complaint. The bill requires the local agency or local commission to within 300 days of the filing date of the complaint: (1) send notice to all parties of the party’s right to direct transfer to the Iowa office of civil rights after months by verified mail, or electronic notice, and (2) cross file a complaint with the Iowa office of civil rights if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state law, rule, or regulation under the jurisdiction of the Iowa office of civil rights. The bill does not prohibit a local agency or local commission from cross filing a complaint with any other federal or state agency, commission, or entity, if the local agency or local commission complaint arises from an alleged violation of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation of a state or federal agency, commission, or entity. The bill provides that the term of a commissioner of a local agency or local commission is two years.

Changed since by amendment H-8157; see Amendments.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed²

House subcommittee

Named February 19, 2026. On February 23, 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

Can’t be estimated Compare with other bills

AI summary This bill changes the rules for local civil rights agencies by allowing cities of any size to maintain them and requiring local agencies to notify the Iowa Office of Civil Rights about certain complaints. The bill is estimated to cost the Iowa Office of Civil Rights a minimum of approximately $387,000 annually to fund 5.0 new full-time positions. It is unknown how much of this cost will come from the state's General Fund versus federal funding.³

From the note: 0 FTE positions. It is unknown what portion of this cost would be funded by the General Fund or through federal funding. Source Iowa Office of Civil Rights /s/ Jennifer Acton March 13, 2026 Doc ID 1602356 The Fiscal Note for this Bill was prepared pursuant to Joint Rule 17 and the Iowa Code.