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House
File
2695
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Enrolled
House
File
2695
AN
ACT
RELATING
TO
THE
APPLICATION
OF
FOREIGN
LAW
AND
LIMITING
CHANGES
IN
VENUE
OF
CIVIL
ACTIONS,
AND
INCLUDING
APPLICABILITY
PROVISIONS.
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
623.1
Prohibition
on
transfer
of
civil
actions
involving
foreign
law.
1.
As
used
in
this
section,
“foreign
law”
means
any
law,
legal
code,
or
legal
system
of
a
jurisdiction
outside
any
state
or
territory
of
the
United
States,
including
but
not
limited
to
laws
or
rules
of
international
organizations,
tribunals,
or
courts.
2.
A
court
of
this
state,
an
arbitration
panel,
a
tribunal,
or
an
administrative
agency
shall
not
transfer
a
civil
action
to
another
court
or
forum
if
the
transfer
would
result
in
application
of
a
foreign
law
that
would
violate
or
is
likely
to
violate
a
fundamental
liberty,
right,
or
privilege
guaranteed
by
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
or
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa.
House
File
2695,
p.
2
Sec.
2.
NEW
SECTION
.
626E.1
Application
of
foreign
law.
1.
As
used
in
this
section,
“foreign
law”
means
any
law,
legal
code,
or
legal
system
of
a
jurisdiction
outside
any
state
or
territory
of
the
United
States,
including
but
not
limited
to
laws
or
rules
of
international
organizations,
tribunals,
or
courts.
2.
A
ruling
or
decision
of
a
court
of
this
state,
an
arbitration
panel,
a
tribunal,
or
an
administrative
agency
that
is
based,
in
whole
or
in
part,
on
a
foreign
law
is
void
and
unenforceable
if
application
of
the
foreign
law
denies
a
party
a
fundamental
liberty,
right,
or
privilege
guaranteed
by
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
or
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa.
3.
A
contract,
or
a
contractual
provision
if
severable,
that
provides
for
the
choice
or
application
of
a
foreign
law
is
void
and
unenforceable
if
application
of
the
foreign
law
denies
a
party
a
fundamental
liberty,
right,
or
privilege
guaranteed
by
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
or
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa.
4.
A
contract,
or
a
contractual
provision
if
severable,
that
grants
jurisdiction
to
a
foreign
tribunal
or
forum
is
void
and
unenforceable
if
exercise
of
jurisdiction
by
the
foreign
tribunal
or
forum
results
in
application
of
a
foreign
law
that
denies
a
party
a
fundamental
liberty,
right,
or
privilege
guaranteed
by
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
or
the
Constitution
of
the
State
of
Iowa.
5.
This
section
shall
not
be
construed
to
do
any
of
the
following:
a.
Disapprove,
abrogate,
or
overturn
existing
precedent
of
the
supreme
court.
b.
Limit
the
adjudication
of
ecclesiastical
or
internal
religious
matters
of
a
religious
organization,
including
the
selection,
appointment,
discipline,
or
removal
of
clergy,
or
the
interpretation
of
religious
doctrine.
c.
Apply
to
a
corporation,
partnership,
limited
liability
company,
association,
or
any
other
type
of
business
entity
that
voluntarily
and
knowingly
subjects
the
corporation,
partnership,
limited
liability
company,
association,
or
other
type
of
business
entity
to
foreign
law
or
a
foreign
forum.
House
File
2695,
p.
3
d.
Apply
in
any
circumstance
in
which
federal
law
preempts
state
law,
including
obligations
arising
under
treaties
or
international
agreements
to
which
the
United
States
is
a
party.
Sec.
3.
APPLICABILITY.
This
Act
applies
to
civil
actions,
contracts,
arbitrations,
and
administrative
proceedings
commenced
on
or
after
the
effective
date
of
this
Act.
______________________________
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
2695,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.
______________________________
MEGHAN
NELSON
Chief
Clerk
of
the
House
Approved
_______________,
2026
______________________________
KIM
REYNOLDS
Governor