Iowa House gives first reading to multiple bills, refers measures to committees

The Iowa House on Feb. 17 gave first readings to a cluster of bills and referred them to standing committees for further consideration.

Clerk/reader (as recorded in the transcript) announced House File 2567 “by Thompson,” described as creating a state archives and records authority and providing penalties and an appropriation; the bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee. The reader also announced House File 2568 (read in the transcript as “Tom send”), described as establishing a temporary independent fiscal restructuring authority to provide oversight of institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents, with penalties and an appropriation; that bill was referred to the Appropriations Committee. House File 2569 (by Rinker) would address recovery of costs for the demolition of abandoned buildings by cities and was referred to the Local Government Committee. House File 2570 (by the Committee on Judiciary) concerned the authority of an attorney-in-fact under a durable power of attorney for health care and was referred to the Judiciary Committee. The reader also announced House File 2571 and House File 2572 (both credited to the Committee on Judiciary in the reading), the former relating to the Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure and commitment hearings after an acquittal by reason of insanity and the latter providing for a task force on legal services for injured parties; each was placed on the calendar or referred as stated during the reading.

The House also approved corrections to the journal before the bill introductions; the presiding member stated, “The journal stands approved.”

None of the bills received debate or a recorded vote during the session; the clerk’s reading established each measure’s sponsor and committee referral and sent the items forward in the legislative process. Further details, including full bill text, fiscal notes and committee schedules, will appear in the committees to which each file was referred.

Authorities and formal references in the reading were limited to the bill titles and committee referrals as read during the session; sponsorship names are reported here as they were stated in the transcript.