HF862 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county officials by outside counsel, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF 414 .) Effective date: 05/19/2025.

Enacted

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

Sponsor: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Last action: 2025-05-19
Official status: Signed by Governor . H.J. 1227 .
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county officials by outside counsel, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF 414 .) Effective date: 05/19/2025.

A bill for an act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county officials by outside counsel, and including effective date provisions.

What This Bill Does

A bill for an act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county officials by outside counsel, and including effective date provisions.
(Formerly HF 414 .) Effective date: 05/19/2025.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-05-19 Iowa Legislature
Signed by Governor . H.J. 1227 .
2025-05-19 Iowa Legislature
Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 1224 .
2025-04-28 Iowa Legislature
Message from House. S.J. 886 .
2025-04-24 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. H.J. 1069 .
2025-04-24 Iowa Legislature
Passed House , yeas 58, nays 30. H.J. 1056 .
2025-04-24 Iowa Legislature
House concurred in Senate amendment H-1245 . H.J. 1055 .
2025-04-22 Iowa Legislature
Explanation of vote. H.J. 1034 .
2025-04-17 Iowa Legislature
Senate amendment H-1245 filed. H.J. 993 .
2025-04-17 Iowa Legislature
Message from Senate. H.J. 952 .
2025-04-16 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. S.J. 816 .
2025-04-16 Iowa Legislature
Passed Senate , yeas 30, nays 17. S.J. 815 .
2025-04-16 Iowa Legislature
Amendment S-3107 filed, adopted. S.J. 814 .
2025-04-10 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 758 .
2025-04-03 Iowa Legislature
Placed on calendar.
2025-04-03 Iowa Legislature
Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 694 .
2025-04-02 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee recommends passage.
2025-04-01 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee Meeting: 04/02/2025 10:30AM Room G15.
2025-03-31 Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee: Bousselot, Knox, and Taylor. S.J. 665 .
2025-03-27 Iowa Legislature
Read first time, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 658 .
2025-03-27 Iowa Legislature
Message from House. S.J. 658 .
2025-03-26 Iowa Legislature
Immediate message. H.J. 850 .
2025-03-26 Iowa Legislature
Passed House , yeas 93, nays 3. H.J. 823 .
2025-03-26 Iowa Legislature
Amendment H-1176 adopted. H.J. 823 .
2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature
Amendment H-1176 filed. H.J. 814 .
2025-03-07 Iowa Legislature
Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 563 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county officials by outside counsel, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF 414 .) Effective date: 05/19/2025.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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,
1 hereby transmit:
House File 862, an Act relating to the representation of boards of supervisors and county
officials by outside coimsel, and including effective date provisions.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
fynolds
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
6 ppizeiagyUti -
WILL UAINTAI
!:i!i i:i
ENKRAI. ASSEMBLY
House File 862
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE REPRESENTATION OF BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS AND
COUNTY OFFICIALS BY OUTSIDE COUNSEL, AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE
DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA;
Section 1. Section 331.755, Code 2025, is amended to read
as follows:
331.755 Prohibited actions.
1. A county attorney shall not:
-tr- ^ Accept a fee or reward from or on behalf of a person
for services rendered in a prosecution or the conduct of
official business.
■2-i- ^ Engage directly or indirectly as an attorney or
an agent for a party other than the state or the county in
an action or proceeding arising in the county which that is
based upon substantially the same facts as a prosecution or
proceeding which that has been commenced or prosecuted by the
county attorney in the name of the state or the county. This
prohibition also applies to the members of a law firm with
which the county attorney is associated.
■3t- Cj_ Receive assistance from another attorney who is
interested in any civil action in which a recovery is asked
based upon matters involved in a criminal prosecution commenced
or prosecuted by the county attorney.
House File 862, p. 2
2. A board of supervisors may, with a majority vote of
the board, obtain outside counsel to represent the board of
supervisors or any other county official.
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
importance, takes effect upon enactment.
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of /he House
AMY SI^LAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 862, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved 2025
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Xlerl^^ the House
KIM" REYNOLDS
Governor