HF2254 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of noncompete clauses in certain employment contracts entered into by the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF 2072 .)

Healthcare Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Last action: 2026-05-11
Official status: Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 05/11 .
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact effective date is not provided in the official source material.

Ban on Noncompete Clauses for Healthcare Workers at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

This act stops the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from putting noncompete clauses in employment contracts with certain healthcare professionals.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics from including noncompete clauses in employment contracts for advanced registered nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, and registered nurses.
Requires the development of a policy that bans these clauses for specified healthcare professionals.
Applies to all new or renewed employment contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this act.

Who It Names or Affects

Healthcare workers at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Terms To Know

Noncompete clause: A part of a contract that stops someone from working in the same field or area after leaving their job.
Advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP): A type of healthcare provider who can diagnose and treat patients, often with more responsibilities than other nurses.

Limits and Unknowns

The act only applies to certain types of employment contracts at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
It does not affect noncompete clauses in contracts outside this specific institution or for other job positions.

Bill History

2026-05-11 Iowa Legislature
Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 05/11 .
2026-05-02 Iowa Legislature
Explanation of vote. H.J. 1158 .
2026-05-02 Iowa Legislature
Explanation of vote. H.J. 1158 .
2026-04-14 Iowa Legislature
Message from House. S.J. 777 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. H.J. 887 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Passed House , yeas 70, nays 20. H.J. 886 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
House concurred in Senate amendment H-8319 . H.J. 886 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Motion to suspend rules failed. H.J. 885 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Motion to suspend rules for immediate consideration of amendment H-8350 to Senate amendment H-8319 , yeas 34, nays 56. H.J. 885 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Point of order raised on amendment H-8350 to Senate amendment H-8319 , ruled not germane. H.J. 884 .
2026-04-13 Iowa Legislature
Amendment H-8350 filed. H.J. 884 .
2026-04-07 Iowa Legislature
Senate amendment H-8319 filed. H.J. 838 .
2026-04-07 Iowa Legislature
Message from Senate. H.J. 822 .
2026-04-07 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. S.J. 740 .
2026-04-07 Iowa Legislature
Passed Senate , yeas 43, nays 2. S.J. 738 .
2026-04-07 Iowa Legislature
Amendment S-5141 adopted. S.J. 738 .
2026-03-30 Iowa Legislature
Amendment S-5141 filed. S.J. 683 .
2026-03-26 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 659 .
2026-03-04 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar.
2026-03-04 Iowa Legislature
Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 478 .
2026-03-03 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
2026-02-26 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee Meeting: 03/03/2026 8:00AM Room 315.
2026-02-26 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee: Dickey, Donahue, and Driscoll. S.J. 418 .
2026-02-24 Iowa Legislature
Read first time, referred to Workforce. S.J. 374 .
2026-02-24 Iowa Legislature
Message from House. S.J. 374 .
2026-02-23 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. H.J. 395 .
2026-02-23 Iowa Legislature
Passed House , yeas 70, nays 19. H.J. 388 .
2026-01-30 Iowa Legislature
Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 190 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of noncompete clauses in certain employment contracts entered into by the university of Iowa hospitals and clinics, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF 2072 .)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

House

File

2254

-

Enrolled

House

File

2254

AN

ACT

RELATING

TO

THE

PROHIBITION

OF

NONCOMPETE

CLAUSES

IN

CERTAIN

EMPLOYMENT

CONTRACTS

ENTERED

INTO

BY

THE

UNIVERSITY

OF

IOWA

HOSPITALS

AND

CLINICS,

AND

INCLUDING

EFFECTIVE

DATE

PROVISIONS.

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

Section

1.

Section

262.9,

Code

2026,

is

amended

by

adding

the

following

new

subsection:

NEW

SUBSECTION

.

43.

a.

Develop

a

policy

that

prohibits

the

university

of

Iowa

hospitals

and

clinics

from

including

a

noncompete

clause

in

an

employment

contract

with

an

advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner,

a

licensed

practical

nurse,

a

pharmacist,

a

physician,

a

physician

assistant,

or

a

registered

nurse.

b.

This

subsection

applies

to

all

employment

contracts

between

an

advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner,

a

licensed

practical

nurse,

a

pharmacist,

a

physician,

a

physician

assistant,

or

a

registered

nurse

and

the

university

of

Iowa

hospitals

and

clinics

entered

into,

extended,

or

renewed

on

or

after

the

effective

date

of

this

Act.

c.

For

purposes

of

this

subsection:

(1)

“Advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner”

means

the

same

as

defined

in

section

152.1.

(2)

“Licensed

practical

nurse”

means

an

individual

licensed

under

chapter

152.

House

File

2254,

p.

2

(3)

“Noncompete

clause”

means

any

restriction

on

the

right

of

an

advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner,

a

licensed

practical

nurse,

a

pharmacist,

a

physician,

a

physician

assistant,

or

a

registered

nurse

to

practice

in

any

geographic

area

or

for

a

defined

period

of

time

upon

the

termination

of

an

employment

contract

between

the

advanced

registered

nurse

practitioner,

licensed

practical

nurse,

pharmacist,

physician,

physician

assistant,

or

registered

nurse

and

the

university

of

Iowa

hospitals

and

clinics.

(4)

“Pharmacist”

means

the

same

as

defined

in

section

155A.3.

(5)

“Physician”

means

an

individual

licensed

under

chapter

148.

(6)

“Physician

assistant”

means

the

same

as

defined

in

section

148C.1.

(7)

“Registered

nurse”

means

an

individual

licensed

under

chapter

152.

Sec.

2.

EFFECTIVE

DATE.

This

Act,

being

deemed

of

immediate

importance,

takes

effect

upon

enactment.

______________________________

PAT

GRASSLEY

Speaker

of

the

House

______________________________

AMY

SINCLAIR

President

of

the

Senate

I

hereby

certify

that

this

bill

originated

in

the

House

and

is

known

as

House

File

2254,

Ninety-first

General

Assembly.

______________________________

MEGHAN

NELSON

Chief

Clerk

of

the

House

Approved

_______________,

2026

______________________________

KIM

REYNOLDS

Governor