Text of IA SF 579 (2026)
A bill for an act 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. (Formerly SSB 1184.) Effective date: 03/10/2026.
Legislative text is a public record. Where LegiScan supplied it, the CC BY 4.0 credit applies.
Source: LegiScan. Bill data and text from LegiScan (legiscan.com), licensed CC BY 4.0 and used in modified form. LegiScan does not endorse the Trans Data Initiative. License: CC BY 4.0(opens another site). Source page(opens another site)
As introduced
4,979 characters
Senate
File
579
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
579
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SSB
1184)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
local
civil
rights
commissions
and
local
1
civil
rights
agencies.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
TLSB
1493SV
(1)
91
cm/jh
S.F.
579
Section
1.
Section
216.19,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
1
the
following
new
subsections:
2
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
9.
Any
complaint
filed
with
a
local
agency
3
or
local
commission
where
a
party
is
a
political
subdivision
4
shall
be
referred
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
for
5
processing.
6
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
10.
a.
A
local
agency
or
local
commission
7
complaint,
upon
request
by
any
party,
shall
be
transferred
to
8
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
for
processing
if
the
complaint
9
alleges
a
violation
of
this
chapter
and
has
not
been
resolved
10
within
twelve
months
of
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint.
11
b.
The
local
agency
or
local
commission
shall
within
three
12
hundred
days
of
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint
do
all
of
the
13
following:
14
(1)
Send
notice
to
all
parties
of
a
party’s
right
to
15
direct
transfer
of
the
complaint
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
16
rights
from
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
after
twelve
17
months
if
the
complaint
alleges
a
violation
of
this
chapter.
18
The
notice
shall
be
sent
to
all
parties
by
verified
mail,
19
or
electronic
notice
if
the
party
is
enrolled
in
electronic
20
notification.
21
(2)
Cross
file
a
complaint
with
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
22
rights
if
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
complaint
arises
23
from
an
alleged
violation
of
a
state
law,
rule,
or
regulation
24
under
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights.
25
This
subparagraph
shall
not
be
construed
to
prohibit
a
local
26
agency
or
local
commission
from
cross
filing
a
complaint
with
27
any
other
federal
or
state
agency,
commission,
or
entity,
if
28
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
complaint
arises
from
29
an
alleged
violation
of
a
state
or
federal
law,
rule,
or
30
regulation
of
a
state
or
federal
agency,
commission,
or
entity.
31
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
11.
The
term
of
a
commissioner
appointed
to
32
a
local
agency
or
local
commission
shall
be
for
two
years.
33
EXPLANATION
34
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
35
-1-
LSB
1493SV
(1)
91
cm/jh
1/
2
S.F.
579
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
1
This
bill
relates
to
local
civil
rights
commissions
or
local
2
civil
rights
agencies.
3
The
bill
provides
that
any
complaint
that
is
filed
with
a
4
local
commission
or
local
agency
where
a
party
is
a
political
5
subdivision
shall
be
referred
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
6
rights
for
processing.
The
bill
provides
that
a
local
agency
7
or
local
commission
complaint,
upon
request
by
any
party,
8
shall
be
transferred
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
for
9
processing
if
the
complaint
alleges
a
violation
of
the
Iowa
10
civil
rights
Act
of
1965
and
has
not
been
resolved
within
12
11
months
of
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint.
The
bill
requires
12
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
to
within
300
days
of
the
13
filing
date
of
the
complaint:
(1)
send
notice
to
all
parties
14
of
the
party’s
right
to
direct
transfer
to
the
Iowa
office
of
15
civil
rights
after
12
months
by
verified
mail,
or
electronic
16
notice,
and
(2)
cross
file
a
complaint
with
the
Iowa
office
of
17
civil
rights
if
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
complaint
18
arises
from
an
alleged
violation
of
a
state
law,
rule,
or
19
regulation
under
the
jurisdiction
of
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
20
rights.
The
bill
does
not
prohibit
a
local
agency
or
local
21
commission
from
cross
filing
a
complaint
with
any
other
federal
22
or
state
agency,
commission,
or
entity,
if
the
local
agency
or
23
local
commission
complaint
arises
from
an
alleged
violation
24
of
a
state
or
federal
law,
rule,
or
regulation
of
a
state
or
25
federal
agency,
commission,
or
entity.
26
The
bill
provides
that
the
term
of
a
commissioner
of
a
local
27
agency
or
local
commission
is
two
years.
28
-2-
LSB
1493SV
(1)
91
cm/jh
2/
2
As enrolled or final
6,013 characters
Senate
File
579
-
Enrolled
Senate
File
579
AN
ACT
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.
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
Section
1.
Section
216.19,
subsection
1,
unnumbered
paragraph
1,
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
All
cities
shall,
to
the
extent
possible,
protect
the
rights
of
the
citizens
of
this
state
secured
by
the
Iowa
civil
rights
Act.
A
city
or
local
government
shall
not
enact
any
ordinance
or
other
law
which
is
broader
or
has
different
categories
of
unfair
or
discriminatory
practices
than
those
provided
in
this
chapter.
Nothing
in
this
chapter
shall
be
construed
as
indicating
any
of
the
following:
Sec.
2.
Section
216.19,
subsection
1,
paragraph
c,
Code
2026,
is
amended
by
striking
the
paragraph.
Sec.
3.
Section
216.19,
subsection
2,
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2.
A
city
with
a
population
of
twenty-nine
thousand,
or
greater,
shall
may
maintain
an
independent
local
civil
rights
agency
or
commission
consistent
with
agency
rules
adopted
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
.
An
agency
or
commission
for
which
a
staff
is
provided
shall
have
control
over
such
staff.
A
city
required
to
maintain
that
maintains
a
local
civil
rights
agency
or
commission
shall
structure
and
adequately
fund
the
agency
Senate
File
579,
p.
2
or
commission
in
order
to
effect
cooperative
undertakings
with
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
and
to
aid
in
effectuating
the
purposes
of
this
chapter
.
Sec.
4.
Section
216.19,
Code
2026,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subsections:
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
9.
Any
complaint
filed
with
a
local
agency
or
local
commission
where
a
party
is
a
political
subdivision
shall
be
referred
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
for
processing.
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
10.
a.
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
this
chapter
and
has
not
been
resolved
within
twelve
months
of
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint.
b.
The
local
agency
or
local
commission
shall
within
three
hundred
days
of
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint
do
all
of
the
following:
(1)
(a)
Send
notice
to
all
parties
of
a
party’s
right
to
direct
transfer
of
the
complaint
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
from
the
local
agency
or
local
commission
after
twelve
months
if
the
complaint
alleges
a
violation
of
this
chapter.
The
notice
shall
be
sent
to
all
parties
by
verified
mail,
or
electronic
notice
if
the
party
is
enrolled
in
electronic
notification.
(b)
The
local
agency
or
local
commission
shall
notify
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
of
the
complaint
upon
the
provision
of
notice
to
all
parties.
(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.
This
subparagraph
shall
not
be
construed
to
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.
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
11.
The
term
of
a
commissioner
appointed
to
a
local
agency
or
local
commission
shall
be
for
two
years.
Senate
File
579,
p.
3
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
12.
A
local
agency
or
local
commission
that
accepts
complaints
shall
inform
a
person
filing
a
complaint
that
the
person
may
file
the
complaint
with
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
in
lieu
of
filing
with
the
local
agency
or
local
commission.
Sec.
5.
COMPLAINTS
FILED
WITH
LOCAL
CIVIL
RIGHTS
COMMISSIONS
AND
LOCAL
CIVIL
RIGHTS
AGENCIES.
If,
as
of
the
effective
date
of
this
Act,
a
complaint
has
been
pending
with
a
local
civil
rights
commission
or
local
civil
rights
agency
for
at
least
twelve
months
from
the
filing
date
of
the
complaint,
the
local
civil
rights
commission
or
local
civil
rights
agency
shall
provide
all
parties
notice
of
a
party’s
right
to
direct
transfer
of
the
complaint
to
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights.
The
local
commission
or
agency
shall
also
notify
the
Iowa
office
of
civil
rights
of
all
the
pending
cases
for
which
notice
was
provided
pursuant
to
this
section.
Sec.
6.
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
This
Act,
being
deemed
of
immediate
importance,
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
______________________________
AMY
SINCLAIR
President
of
the
Senate
______________________________
PAT
GRASSLEY
Speaker
of
the
House
I
hereby
certify
that
this
bill
originated
in
the
Senate
and
is
known
as
Senate
File
579,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.
______________________________
W.
CHARLES
SMITHSON
Secretary
of
the
Senate
Approved
_______________,
2026
______________________________
KIM
REYNOLDS
Governor