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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 19,2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 249, an Act relating to the recovery of the benefits inappropriately obtained
from the department of homeland security and emergency management.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Smceroly,
Kim K^nolds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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GKNERAL ASSEMBLY
House File 249
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE RECOVERY OF BENEFITS INAPPROPRIATELY OBTAINED
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 10A.108, subsection 1, Code 2025, is
amended to read as follows:
1. a. If a person refuses or neglects to repay benefits or
provider payments inappropriately obtained from the department
of health and human services or the department of homeland
security and emergency management, the amount inappropriately
obtained, including any interest, penalty, or costs attached
to the amount, constitutes a debt and is a lien in favor of the
state upon all property and any rights or title to or interest
in property, whether real or personal, belonging to the person
for the period established in subsection 2, with the exception
of property which is exempt from execution pursuant to chapter
627.
b. A lien under this section shall not attach to any amount
of inappropriately obtained benefits or provider payments, or
portions of the benefits or provider payments, attributable
to errors by the department of health and human services or
the department of homeland security and emergency management,
as applicable. Liens shall only attach to the amounts of
inappropriately obtained benefits or provider payments or
portions of the benefits or provider payments which were
House Pile 249, p. 2
obtained due to false, misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate
information submitted by a person in connection with the
application for or receipt of benefits or provider payments.
Sec. 2. Section 10A.108, subsection 4, unnumbered paragraph
1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
The county recorder of each county shall prepare and
maintain in the recorder's office an index of liens of
debts established based upon benefits or provider payments
inappropriately obtained from and owed the department of
health and human services or the department of homeland
security and emergency management, containing the applicable
entries specified in sections 558.49 and 558.52, and providing
appropriate columns for all of the following data, under the
names of debtors, arranged alphabetically:
Sec. 3. Section 10A.108, subsection 4, paragraph b. Code
2025, is amended to read as follows:
b, ^^State of Iowa, Department of Health and Human Services"
or ^State of Iowa, Department of Homeland Security and
Emergency Management" as claimant, as applicable.
Sec. 4. Section 10A.108, subsection 8, Code 2025, is amended
to read as follows:
8. The department of inspections, appeals, and licensing,
as provided in this chapter and chapter 626, shall proceed
to collect all debts owed the department of health and human
services and the department of homeland security and emergency
management as soon as practicable after the debt becomes
delinquent. If service has not been made on a distress warrant
by the officer to whom addressed within five days from the
date the distress warrant was received by the officer, the
authorized investigators of the department of inspections,
appeals, and licensing may serve and make return of the warrant
to the clerk of the district court of the county named in the
distress warrant, and all subsequent procedures shall be in
compliance with chapter 626.
Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 29C.26 Referrals — fraud — benefits
inappropriately obtained.
1. Following a review of an applicant's or recipient's
eligibility to receive moneys under section 29C.20A or
29C.20B, the department may refer cases of suspected fraud.
House File 249, p. 3
misrepresentation, inadequate documentation relating
to initial or continued eligibility, or benefits being
otherwise inappropriately obtained, along with any supportive
information, to the department of inspections, appeals, and
licensing for review.
2. In cases of substantiated fraud, misrepresentation, or
benefits being otherwise inappropriately obtained, the state
shall review all appropriate legal options including but not
limited to removal of a recipient from other public assistance
programs and garnishment of wages or state income tax refunds
until the department recovers an amount equal to the benefits
fraudulently claimed.
3. The department may refer suspected cases of fraud,
misrepresentation, or inadequate documentation relating
to initial or continued eligibility, or suspected cases
of benefits being otherwise inappropriately obtained, to
appropriate state entities for review of such issues in other
programs providing public benefits.
PAT CRASSLY AMY SIN(gLAIR
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 249, Ninety-first General Assembly.
MmmeghA nelson
Chief cAerk^^ml the House
ApprovpdH^ft^ I * , 2025
KIM Ifc^OLD
Governor