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What Just Changed in Iowa: A Breakdown of 2025’s Landmark Laws


Author's Note

Recently, a friend said to me, “I wish there was a single place that listed all the major changes Iowa just made—I’ve seen a couple, but I know I’m missing some.”


So I put together this overview of the most important legislation that just took effect in Iowa. While it’s not exhaustive, it does reflect the major victories, reforms, and course corrections from a session many of us worked hard to help shape.


From parental rights to DEI reform to civil liberties, this session was the result of tireless advocacy, coalition-building, and ordinary Iowans taking a stand. If I’ve missed something important, feel free to reach out—I’ll keep this list updated.


  1. Civil Rights Redefined to Protect Children and the Constitution

Senate File 418 removed gender identity as a protected class in Iowa’s Civil Rights Act. Critics called it controversial, but supporters say the change was essential to bring legal consistency to existing protections, including:

  • Girls’ sports reserved for biological females

  • Separate restrooms, locker rooms, and showers for boys and girls

  • Bans on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for minors


All of these would have been in legal conflict had gender identity remained a protected class—opening Iowa to lawsuits. This reform was about safeguarding children, protecting women's rights, clarifying state law, and respecting constitutional boundaries.


“You can’t have laws protecting girls’ spaces while keeping a conflicting civil rights category in place. This was necessary for legal clarity and common sense.”


  1. DEI Ban in Public Institutions

House File 856 prohibits public universities, community colleges, and state agencies from using taxpayer money to fund DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) offices or ideologically driven training programs.

In an controversial amendment added by Senator Ken Rozenboom, Private colleges were exempted, but the message was clear:

Merit, not ideology, will guide publicly funded education.

This law affirms Iowa’s stance that tax dollars should go toward practical education, not divisive social engineering.


  1. Vaccine Exemption Transparency in Schools

House File 299 now requires schools to clearly communicate that parents have the legal right to file vaccine exemptions—correcting years of misleading “no shots, no school” messaging.

This bill was passed in response to numerous reports of schools either omitting or downplaying exemption rights, leaving parents confused or intimidated.


  1. Hands-Free Driving Law

Senate File 22 makes it illegal to use handheld phones while driving. For the rest of 2025, enforcement will focus on education and warnings. Starting January 2026, fines up to $1,000 will apply if violations result in injury or death.


Hands-free devices and voice commands are still allowed. The goal? Safer roads and fewer distractions.


In one of the most debated moves this session, Governor Reynolds vetoed a bill that would have restricted the use of eminent domain by private carbon pipeline companies.


Supporters of the bill say it would have protected private landowners from corporate overreach. Reynolds defended her decision by arguing the bill "went too far" and threatened Iowa’s business environment.

This veto drew sharp criticism from conservatives and property rights advocates across the state.


  1. Expanding Workforce Opportunity: House File 711


House File 711, which took effect on July 1, 2025, creates an “establishment training program” that allows salons and barbershops to train aspiring cosmetologists and barbers on the job—without requiring them to first complete expensive schooling.


Under this new law:

  • Licensed establishments can employ unlicensed trainees, who may perform services such as shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling—but only under the direct supervision of a licensed professional.

  • Before providing services to the public, each trainee must first complete a minimum of two hours of mandatory training on sanitation, safety standards, and state regulations.

  • Trainees can then complete up to 2,000 hours of supervised in-salon/mentorship work, similar to a traditional trade.

  • All participants must pass the same licensing exam as traditional cosmetology school graduates in order to become fully licensed.

  • Salons must post a client disclosure notice when services are performed by a supervised trainee, and remain subject to state inspections and enforcement.


This reform helps remove financial barriers for working-class Iowans and opens up pathways to meaningful careers without compromising on cleanliness, safety, or quality control.


  1. Vetoed: Property Rights Protection Bill (HF 565 / HF 639)


One of the most consequential—and controversial—moves this session came not from the legislature, but from the Governor’s desk.


Governor Reynolds vetoed a bill that would have strengthened protections for Iowa landowners against the use of eminent domain by private pipeline companies, particularly carbon capture projects like Summit Carbon Solutions.


The bill would have prohibited companies from using eminent domain unless they had secured voluntary easements from at least 90% of landowners along their proposed route. It also removed language designating these pipelines as "common carriers," which previously allowed them to access land forcibly.


Reynolds defended her veto by stating the bill "went too far" and could undermine future energy and infrastructure development. But for many property rights advocates, this was a betrayal.

“We cannot allow private corporations to seize land from unwilling Iowans for speculative ventures, especially those backed by questionable science and massive federal subsidies.”

The veto became a rallying cry for grassroots conservatives and constitutionalists across Iowa, highlighting the ongoing battle between individual liberty and corporate influence.


  1. Psilocybin Veto: A Cautious Step Back?

Gov. Reynolds also vetoed a bill that would have allowed FDA-approved synthetic psilocybin treatments under strict medical supervision. Although the bill had bipartisan support, she cited the lack of a regulatory framework as justification.


  1. Redefining Bullying to Protect All Students: House File 865

House File 865 updates Iowa’s anti-bullying statute by removing the list of specific “traits” (such as gender identity, religion, disability, race etc.) and instead focuses on the behavior itself—“repeated and targeted acts that create a hostile school environment.”


This shift has sparked debate, but it reflects a deeper philosophical change in how Iowa approaches bullying.

As I shared during a recent segment on Channel 5 News, the heart of the new law is this question:

“What was done to you?” — not “Who are you?”

In that way, it broadens protections for all students, regardless of their identity, by focusing on actions rather than assumptions about character traits. This approach seeks to make school discipline more fair, consistent, and behavior-based—so that every student is protected equally, not just those in listed categories.


9. Other Major Bills That Took Effect July 1

  • Fetal Development Curriculum (SF 175): Requires human development classes to include prenatal education without materials linked to abortion providers

  • School Cell Phone Restrictions (HF 782): Mandates new policies to limit in-class phone use

  • Threat Assessment Teams (SF 583): Allows schools to create safety teams combining educators, mental health experts, and law enforcement

  • Disaster Relief & Tornado Recovery (SF 619): Allocates $11.6M for home repairs and nuisance abatement

  • Pharmacy Benefit Manager Regulation (SF 383): Caps predatory PBM practices—now facing legal challenges from business groups


Coming Soon: Law Taking Effect in 2026


Lowered Handgun Carry Age (HF 924, effective Jan 1, 2026): 

Lowers the minimum age to carry or possess a handgun in Iowa from 21 to 18. While federal law still restricts handgun purchases from licensed dealers to those 21+, Iowans aged 18–20 may now lawfully carry and possess handguns under state law with a valid permit. The bill also updates parental supervision rules, allowing 18-year-old parents or guardians to supervise minors using handguns for lawful purposes.



The Bigger Picture: Why It All Matters

This session wasn't just about policy—it was about principle. It marked a return to:

  • Parental rights and transparency

  • Legal coherence across civil rights and child protection laws

  • Fiscal responsibility in public institutions

  • A renewed respect for individual liberty and private property


    The debate will continue. Laws will be challenged. But there’s no mistaking this moment: Iowa is taking a stand.


 A Final Word

I’ve included links to the actual legislation wherever possible, and I always encourage people to read the bills for themselves. Don’t just believe the headlines—or the narrative.


One thing that’s always struck me: there’s the media version of what happened, and then there’s what’s actually written in the law. And often, the two don’t match. The more we read for ourselves, the more empowered we become to speak the truth with clarity and conviction.

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