A bill for an act relating to the regulation of certain places and activities by the governor. (Formerly HF 2145 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026

House

File

2694

-

Enrolled

House

File

2694

AN

ACT

RELATING

TO

THE

REGULATION

OF

CERTAIN

PLACES

AND

ACTIVITIES

BY

THE

GOVERNOR.

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

Section

1.

NEW

SECTION

.

7.19

Regulation

of

places

and

practices

of

worship

——

limitation.

Notwithstanding

any

provision

of

law

to

the

contrary,

the

governor

shall

not

close,

place

a

mandate

on,

or

otherwise

regulate

a

place

or

practice

of

worship

for

any

reason,

House

File

2694,

p.

2

including

through

the

proclamation

of

a

disaster

emergency

pursuant

to

chapter

29C

or

public

health

disaster

pursuant

to

section

135.144.

For

the

purposes

of

this

section,

“place

of

worship”

means

a

building

in

which

an

active

congregation

is

devoted

to

worship.

Sec.

2.

Section

29C.6,

subsection

1,

Code

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

1.

a.

After

finding

a

disaster

exists

or

is

threatened,

proclaim

a

state

of

disaster

emergency.

This

proclamation

shall

be

in

writing,

indicate

the

area

affected

and

the

facts

upon

which

it

is

based,

be

signed

by

the

governor,

and

be

filed

with

the

secretary

of

state.

If

the

state

of

disaster

emergency

specifically

constitutes

a

public

health

disaster

as

defined

in

section

135.140

,

the

written

proclamation

shall

include

a

statement

to

that

effect.

A

state

of

disaster

emergency

shall

continue

for

thirty

days,

unless

sooner

terminated

or

extended

in

writing

by

the

governor.

The

general

assembly

may,

by

concurrent

resolution,

rescind

this

proclamation.

If

the

general

assembly

is

not

in

session,

the

legislative

council

may,

by

majority

vote,

rescind

this

proclamation.

Rescission

shall

be

effective

upon

filing

of

the

concurrent

resolution

or

resolution

of

the

legislative

council

with

the

secretary

of

state.

A

proclamation

of

disaster

emergency

shall

activate

the

disaster

response

and

recovery

aspect

of

the

state,

local,

and

interjurisdictional

disaster

emergency

plans

applicable

to

the

political

subdivision

or

area

in

question

and

be

authority

for

the

deployment

and

use

of

any

forces

to

which

the

plan

applies,

and

for

use

or

distribution

of

any

supplies,

equipment,

and

materials

and

facilities

assembled,

stockpiled,

or

arranged

to

be

made

available.

b.

A

measure

dictated

in

a

state

of

disaster

emergency

shall

not

do

any

of

the

following:

(1)

Authorize

a

change

to

established

laws,

policies,

or

regulations

governing

a

local,

county,

or

state

election

for

public

office

absent

prior

approval

of

the

general

assembly.

(2)

Regulate

conduct

within

a

private

residence.

(3)

Require

a

vaccination.

c.

A

measure

dictated

in

a

state

of

disaster

emergency

that

constitutes

a

public

health

disaster,

as

defined

in

section

House

File

2694,

p.

3

135.140,

shall

not

require

but

may

recommend

that

a

private

business

operating

within

this

state

cease

the

business’s

lawful

operations.

______________________________

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

2694,

Ninety-first

General

Assembly.

______________________________

MEGHAN

NELSON

Chief

Clerk

of

the

House

Approved

_______________,

2026

______________________________

KIM

REYNOLDS

Governor