HF2526 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to the confidentiality of the residential addresses of foster parents. (Formerly HF 2036 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Children Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Last action: 2026-05-15
Official status: Signed by Governor . H.J. 05/15 .
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on the consequences for breaking the law, leaving this information uncertain.

Keeping Foster Parents' Addresses Private

This law makes sure that foster parents' home addresses stay secret from the biological parents of children in their care, unless the foster parent gives permission to share it.

What This Bill Does

It stops the Department of Health and Human Services and its workers from giving out foster parents' addresses to a child's birth parents without written consent.
The law says that no one can tell a biological parent where a foster parent lives, unless the foster parent agrees in writing.

Who It Names or Affects

Foster parents
Biological parents of children in foster care
Department of Health and Human Services

Terms To Know

Address: The place where someone lives.
Child Foster Care: Taking care of children who are not living with their birth parents.

Limits and Unknowns

This law only applies to the Department of Health and Human Services and its workers.
The law does not say what happens if someone breaks this rule.

Bill History

2026-05-15 Iowa Legislature
Signed by Governor . H.J. 05/15 .
2026-05-13 Iowa Legislature
Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 05/13 .
2026-05-01 Iowa Legislature
Message from Senate. H.J. 1070 .
2026-05-01 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. S.J. 952 .
2026-05-01 Iowa Legislature
Passed Senate , yeas 44, nays 0. S.J. 951 .
2026-03-26 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 659 .
2026-03-12 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar.
2026-03-12 Iowa Legislature
Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 561 .
2026-03-09 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee recommends passage.
2026-03-04 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee Meeting: 03/09/2026 12:30PM Senate Lounge.
2026-03-04 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee: Salmon, Drey, and Guth. S.J. 477 .
2026-03-02 Iowa Legislature
Read first time, referred to Health and Human Services. S.J. 423 .
2026-03-02 Iowa Legislature
Message from House. S.J. 423 .
2026-02-26 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. H.J. 460 .
2026-02-26 Iowa Legislature
Passed House , yeas 90, nays 0. H.J. 450 .
2026-02-26 Iowa Legislature
Amendment H-8021 adopted. H.J. 450 .
2026-02-23 Iowa Legislature
Amendment H-8021 filed. H.J. 397 .
2026-02-16 Iowa Legislature
Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 303 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to the confidentiality of the residential addresses of foster parents. (Formerly HF 2036 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 15, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretaiy of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2526, an Act relating to the confidentiality of the residential addresses of
foster parents.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Kim Reynolo^"-^
Govemor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 2526
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF
FOSTER PARENTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. NEW SECTION. 237D.1 Poster parent addresses —
confidentiality.
1. For purposes of this chapter:
a, ^Address" means the residential address of a person.
b, ^''Child foster care" means the same as defined in section
237.1.
c, "^Department" means the department of health and human
services.
d, ""^Foster child" means a child receiving child foster care
e, '^Foster parent" means an individual licensee as defined
in section 237.1.
2. a* The department and the department's agents shall
not knowingly provide or make available a document to a
biological parent of a foster child if the document contains
the unredacted address of the foster parent who is currently
providing child foster care to the foster child.
b. The department and the department's agents shall not
verbally disclose the address of the foster parent who is
currently providing child foster care to a foster child to a
biological parent of the foster child.
3. Notwithstanding subsection 2, a document may contain a
foster parent's unredacted address, and the department and the
House File 2526, p. 2
department's agents may verbally disclose a foster parent's
address, if the foster parent provides written consent to
disclose the address to a foster child's biological parent
prior to the department or the department's agent providing the
document, making the document available, or verbally disclosing
the address to the biological parent.
PAT GRASSLE^
Speaker of the House
AMY SIN(2tAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House Pile 2526, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk o^the House
2026
KIM Rl^^lJpLDS
Governor