Read the full stored bill text
House
File
2629
-
Reprinted
HOUSE
FILE
2629
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
JUDICIARY
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
981)
(As
Amended
and
Passed
by
the
House
March
12,
2026
)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
trespass,
and
providing
penalties.
1
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
2
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2629
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H.F.
2629
Section
1.
Section
716.7,
subsection
1,
Code
2026,
is
1
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraphs:
2
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
0a.
“Immediate
family
member”
means
a
3
person’s
spouse,
children,
parents
or
guardians,
siblings,
and
4
grandparents,
whether
related
by
blood,
adoption,
or
marriage.
5
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
00a.
“Lawful
authority”
means
the
ability
6
of
a
person
to
produce
a
deed
or
mortgage
statement
in
the
7
person’s
name,
a
lease
agreement
that
includes
the
name
and
8
signature
of
the
property
owner
or
an
authorized
representative
9
of
the
property
owner,
a
valid
written
or
electronic
agreement
10
or
communication
authorizing
the
person
to
enter
upon
the
11
property,
or
a
receipt
or
other
reliable
evidence
of
a
12
rent
payment
made
to
the
property
owner
or
an
authorized
13
representative
of
the
property
owner
dated
within
the
last
14
sixty
days.
15
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
g.
“Squatting”
means
a
person
knowingly
16
taking
up
residence
at
a
property
not
open
to
the
public
17
without
lawful
authority.
18
Sec.
2.
Section
716.7,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
Code
2026,
19
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
20
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(2A)
Squatting,
if
all
of
the
following
21
are
true:
22
(a)
The
person
is
not
a
current
tenant
at
the
property.
23
(b)
The
person
does
not
have
a
valid
agreement
to
occupy
24
the
property.
25
(c)
The
person
is
not
an
immediate
family
member
of
the
26
owner
of
the
property.
27
(d)
The
person
acts
without
lawful
authority
in
entering
and
28
residing
on
the
property.
29
Sec.
3.
Section
716.8,
Code
2026,
is
amended
by
adding
the
30
following
new
subsection:
31
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
9.
a.
A
person
committing
a
trespass
32
as
provided
in
section
716.7,
subsection
2,
paragraph
“a”
,
33
subparagraph
(2A),
commits
the
following:
34
(1)
For
a
first
offense,
a
serious
misdemeanor.
35
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H.F.
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(2)
For
a
second
offense,
an
aggravated
misdemeanor.
1
(3)
For
a
third
or
subsequent
offense,
a
class
“D”
felony.
2
b.
A
person
providing
a
false
document
in
response
to
a
3
request
to
produce
a
document
proving
lawful
authority
is,
in
4
addition
to
any
other
criminal
offense,
guilty
of
a
fraudulent
5
practice
under
section
714.8.
6
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