Legislation

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Iowa General Assembly Legislative SESSION TIMETABLE*

2025 Legislative Reports

Week 1 Legislative Report

Resolution-Legislative Initiatives

The below six (6) Resolutions/Legislative Initiatives were submitted by the Iowa State Police Association Board of Directors

1. Police officers and fire fighters regularly risk their lives in service of their communities which can result in severe injury and/or permanent disability ending their career; however, most of these public servants go on to find employment in other professional fields.  The current pension laws and administrative rules penalize and reduce their pensions if they earn more than 1.5x the salary of their previous position prior to injury -which is essentially freezing their income indefinitely.  The Iowa State Police Association will work to increase the amount of money an officer who is retired on a disability pension can earn before being penalized from 1½ times the salary to 2½ times that salary.

2. In 2017, Chapter 20 was rendered mostly ineffective for public employees, to allow reasonable and fair bargaining rights.  Chapter 20 had been in force for over 40 years and helped achieve a level playing field for both employees and employers.  The Iowa State Police Association will continue to petition the Iowa General Assembly to reverse the damage done in 2017 and restore reasonable bargaining rights for all public safety officers and employees.

3. Law enforcement is an inherently dangerous profession, and some police offices are called upon to pay the ultimate price.  Section 425.15 of the Iowa Code provides for an additional Homestead Credit for Iowa military veterans or spouses of veterans who are severely injured or killed in the performance of their duties.  The Iowa State Police Association will work with the Iowa General Assembly to provide the same credit to Iowa Peace Officers and Fire Fighters or their spouses who are severely injured or killed in the performance of their duties.

4. Anti-law enforcement attitudes, calls to defund the police, and increasing violence carried out against law enforcement within our state has made recruiting and retaining a sufficient number of quality law enforcement officers a challenge for agencies across the state of Iowa.  The Iowa State Police Association will engage in discussions with the Iowa General Assembly to enact and enhance programs to recruit and retain law enforcement officers by utilizing programs such as SLIP (Sick Leave Incentive Program), Tax Credits/Incentives, Secondary Education Funding Programs, and Health Insurance Financial Support programs to bolster the recruitment and retention within law enforcement agencies.

5. Distracted driving is a well-documented hazard claiming over 3,500 lives in 2021.  Any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on a phone is unsafe with texting being the most unsafe behavior by diverting the driver’s attention for spans of five seconds which is the distance of a football field if driving 55 miles per hour.  You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention.  The Iowa State Police Association will promote bolstering current laws and passing new laws prohibiting the use of electronic devices while driving unless doing so in a “hands free” mode and making these violations primary moving violations.

6. Police officers, fire fighters, and EMS, risk their lives every day protecting and serving their communities.  During the course of their duties, they encounter people with used needles, containing blood or other bodily fluids.  As we know, some people carry communicable diseases or viruses that can be harmful to others.  Currently Iowa chapter 11, section 641 allows for nurses and doctors to draw blood on a person if they (medical providers) are exposed to a used needle.  When exposed to a used needle all first responders should be able to know if the other person has a communicable disease that could be harmful to them or others.  The Iowa State Police Officers Association is asking that Iowa chapter 11, code 641 add First Responders- police officers, fire fighters and EMS to this section.
   
   
   The below Resolution/Legislative Initiative was submitted by the Iowa State Police Association Local # 23 Cedar Falls. 
    
7. As the cost of goods and services continues to skyrocket, the damage threshold amount for reporting vehicular accidents has fallen far below the intent of the law. The current threshold for requiring a vehicular accident report is $1,500 and has not been updated since 2010. Within the current threshold, nearly every motor vehicle collision in the State of Iowa would fall under the reporting requirements. A simple fender bender, with the average cost of a bumper far exceeding $1,500, triggers this reporting requirement. Many of these minor collisions likely go unreported, causing citizens to unknowingly violate Iowa Code 321.266 and creates unnecessary time and resources spent by police officers. The Iowa State Police Association is asking that Iowa Code 321.266, and all other applicable sections of the Iowa Code, be amended to increase the damage threshold for a reportable accident to $5,000.

Shawn Morgan, Local 10, made a motion to approve all seven (7) Resolutions/Legislative Initiatives as submitted. Josh Bell, Local 5, seconded the motion.  Motion carried by unanimous voice vote.  Attested to by David McFarland Secretary/Treasurer