Iowa Senate committee advances a package of bills on distracted driving, privacy, anti‑SLAPP, paternity, firearms cleanup and other measures

An Iowa Senate committee on an unspecified date in January advanced a slate of bills to the Senate calendar after brief debate, subcommittee reports and several adopted amendments.

Senators moved each bill by voice vote; committee leadership repeatedly used the meeting’s “short form” procedure and, where requested, accepted amendments before sending measures to the Senate calendar for further consideration.

Senator Lofgren, sponsor of Senate File 22, said the measure "will help to rein in many distracted drivers." The bill would require that the use of an electronic device by a driver in a moving vehicle be voice activated or hands‑free and increase fines for violations. The bill’s sponsor described the present fine as $45 and said the bill would raise it to $100, with higher penalties — $500 and $1,000 — if a serious injury or death occurs, and possible license suspension. Senator Peterson, who served on the subcommittee, expressed support but said she was concerned about an exemption for farm equipment and hoped for a floor amendment to address that carve‑out. The committee moved Senate File 22 to the calendar as an individual bill; Senator Lofgren moved the measure in committee.

The committee also advanced Senate File 5, which modifies the state invasion‑of‑privacy criminal statute to add possession of certain photographs or films to the statute’s reach. Sponsors offered and the committee adopted an amendment that inserts the word "knowingly" before the possession element; senators debating the amendment said the change cleared up concerns about criminalizing inadvertent possession but suggested further clarification of the statute’s definitional boundaries might be needed on the floor. Senator Green moved the bill as amended and it was sent to the calendar.

Senate File 47, described by its sponsor as the state’s anti‑SLAPP legislation, would create a special motion for expedited relief in civil actions that involve exercise of free speech, press, assembly, petition or association. Senator Reichman moved the measure and the committee advanced it to the calendar as an individual bill.

Senate File 81 was advanced after its sponsor explained the bill adds an "alleged father" to the list of persons who may file to establish paternity, and allows that person to request genetic testing by filing an affidavit. Senator Evans moved the bill, which the committee sent to the calendar as an individual bill.

Senate File 106 — described by its sponsor as a cleanup bill following constitutional carry — would strike certain provisions in current law that regulate carrying or discharging a loaded firearm on snowmobiles and all‑terrain vehicles and related requirements about transporting firearms in a fastened case. Senator Schulz moved Senate File 106 and the committee advanced it as an individual bill.

Senate Study Bill 1002, a technical change to Miller Trust rules, was advanced after its sponsor said the bill increases the allowable monthly expense that may be set aside without court approval from $10 to $50 so trustees can be compensated more reasonably. "Practically speaking, this means that the trustee can receive $50 rather than only $10 to administer the trust because it's getting very hard to find anyone to do it for $10," the sponsor said. The committee moved the measure to the calendar as a committee bill.

Senate File 31, with an adopted amendment, would allow an emergency medical care provider to provide immediate veterinary care to stabilize a severely injured police dog and creates civil immunity for such emergency treatment when the dog was on duty and treatment is necessary to stabilize the animal. An amendment clarified that the exception applies only for voluntary emergency care under specified conditions; Senator Westrich moved the amendment and the committee adopted it, then moved the bill to the calendar as amended.

Senate Study Bill 1003 would add additional expedited business‑filing options with the secretary of state (including a one‑hour and an expedited one‑day/same‑day service). The committee adopted an amendment adjusting the fee schedule for expedited service; the transcript records the existence of proposed fee amounts but contains inconsistent numeric reporting. The committee moved the amended study bill to the calendar as a committee bill.

Senate Study Bill 1008, sponsored in part by the Iowa State Bar Association, would change the standard courts use when interrupting family interactions in child‑in‑need‑of‑assistance cases. The committee adopted an amendment described as a middle ground between the bar association and the Department of Human Services that permits such interruption when a court finds a "serious risk of physical or emotional harm." Senator Bussello moved the amendment and the bill was advanced as a committee bill.

Votes at a glance

- Senate File 22 (distracted driving, hands‑free requirement): moved to calendar as an individual bill; mover: Senator Lofgren; amendment: none recorded in committee; key sponsor comments and penalty schedule reported in committee debate.

- Senate File 5 (invasion of privacy — possession): moved to calendar as an individual bill as amended; mover: Senator Green; amendment adopted adding the word "knowingly" before possession; sponsor asked for further definitional work on the statute.

- Senate File 47 (anti‑SLAPP): moved to calendar as an individual bill; mover: Senator Reichman; no amendment recorded.

- Senate File 81 (paternity — alleged father): moved to calendar as an individual bill; mover: Senator Evans; no amendment recorded.

- Senate File 106 (firearms/snowmobile/ATV cleanup after constitutional carry): moved to calendar as an individual bill; mover: Senator Schulz.

- Senate Study Bill 1002 (Miller Trust monthly allowance): moved to calendar as a committee bill; mover: Senator Shipley; sponsor said the allowable monthly set‑aside without court approval increases from $10 to $50.

- Senate File 31 (emergency veterinary care for on‑duty police dogs): moved to calendar as amended; mover: Senator Westrich; amendment clarifies the exception and conditions for voluntary emergency veterinary care and provides civil immunity for stabilizing treatment.

- Senate Study Bill 1003 (expedited business filings – one‑hour and one‑day/same‑day service): moved to calendar as a committee bill as amended; mover: Senator Webster; amendment adjusted the expedited fees (transcript records initial and amended fees but contains inconsistent numeric reporting; see clarifying details).

- Senate Study Bill 1008 (standard for interrupting parental interactions in CINA cases): moved to calendar as a committee bill as amended; mover: Senator Bussello; amendment allows interruption when a court finds a "serious risk of physical or emotional harm."

Discussion vs. decisions

- Many measures received subcommittee reports and brief sponsor remarks only; the committee consistently adopted amendments on a handful of bills and advanced each to the calendar by voice vote. Where debate occurred (for example, the farm equipment exemption in SF 22 and definitional questions in SF 5), senators requested additional clarifications for the floor. Several sponsors thanked stakeholders — for example, Senator Lofgren thanked "Luke Hoffman and the Iowa BISO Coalition and Josie Waggler in the Department of Public Safety" for assistance on SF 22 — but those parties did not speak on the record in the provided transcript.

Next steps

All advanced measures will appear on the Senate calendar for further consideration by the full body. The committee record shows adopted amendments for several bills; additional drafting or floor amendments may be introduced later.