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155
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Introduced
SENATE
FILE
155
BY
BISIGNANO
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
prohibiting
employers
and
employment
agencies
from
1
seeking
the
criminal
record
or
criminal
history
from
2
applicants
for
employment
under
certain
circumstances,
3
establishing
a
criminal
history
employment
application
task
4
force,
providing
penalties,
and
including
effective
date
5
provisions.
6
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
7
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DIVISION
I
1
PROHIBITED
HIRING
PRACTICES
——
CRIMINAL
RECORD
OR
CRIMINAL
2
HISTORY
3
Section
1.
Section
10A.202,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
4
amended
to
read
as
follows:
5
2.
The
department
is
responsible
for
the
administration
of
6
the
laws
of
this
state
under
chapters
88A
,
88B
,
89
,
89A
,
90A
,
7
91A
,
91C
,
91D
,
91E
,
91F,
and
92
,
and
such
other
labor-services
8
duties
assigned
to
the
department
or
director.
9
Sec.
2.
Section
10A.204,
subsection
3,
Code
2025,
is
amended
10
to
read
as
follows:
11
3.
The
director,
in
consultation
with
the
labor
12
commissioner,
shall,
at
the
time
provided
by
law,
make
an
13
annual
report
to
the
governor
setting
forth
in
appropriate
14
form
the
business
and
expense
of
the
division
and
department
15
under
this
subchapter
for
the
preceding
year,
the
number
16
of
remedial
actions
taken
under
chapter
89A
,
the
number
of
17
disputes
or
violations
processed
by
the
division
or
department
18
and
the
disposition
of
the
disputes
or
violations,
and
other
19
matters
pertaining
to
the
division
or
department
under
this
20
subchapter
which
that
are
of
public
interest,
together
with
21
recommendations
for
change
or
amendment
of
the
laws
in
this
22
chapter
and
chapters
88
,
88A
,
88B
,
89
,
89A
,
89B
,
90A
,
91A
,
91C
,
23
91D
,
91E
,
91F,
and
92
,
and
sections
85.67A
and
85.68
,
and
the
24
recommendations,
if
any,
shall
be
transmitted
by
the
governor
25
to
the
first
general
assembly
in
session
after
the
report
is
26
filed.
27
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.1
Declarations
and
purpose.
28
1.
The
general
assembly
declares
that:
29
a.
Removing
obstacles
to
employment
for
individuals
with
30
criminal
records
provides
economic
and
social
opportunities
31
to
a
large
group
of
individuals
in
Iowa
and
increases
the
32
productivity,
health,
and
safety
of
Iowa
communities.
33
b.
Employment
advertisements
in
Iowa
frequently
include
34
language
regarding
criminal
records
that
is
unrelated
to
the
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employment
vacancy
and
that
either
explicitly
precludes
or
1
strongly
dissuades
individuals
from
applying
for
employment
for
2
which
they
are
otherwise
qualified.
3
c.
Individuals
with
criminal
records
represent
a
group
of
4
job
seekers
ready
and
able
to
enlarge
and
contribute
to
the
5
workforce.
6
d.
Securing
employment
significantly
reduces
the
risk
of
7
recidivism
for
individuals
with
criminal
records.
8
e.
The
opportunity
for
individuals
with
criminal
records
9
to
secure
employment
or
to
pursue,
practice,
or
engage
in
10
a
meaningful
and
profitable
trade,
occupation,
vocation,
11
profession,
or
business
is
essential
to
rehabilitation
and
12
their
resumption
of
the
responsibilities
of
citizenship.
13
2.
It
is
the
purpose
of
this
chapter
to
improve
the
economic
14
viability,
health,
and
security
of
Iowa
communities
and
to
15
assist
individuals
with
criminal
records
to
reintegrate
into
16
the
community,
become
productive
members
of
the
workforce,
and
17
provide
for
their
families
and
themselves.
18
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.2
Definitions.
19
1.
“Applicant”
means
a
person
pursuing
employment
with
an
20
employer
or
with
or
through
an
employment
agency.
21
2.
“Criminal
record
or
criminal
history”
means
information
22
collected
or
possessed
by
any
criminal
justice
agency
or
23
judicial
system
in
this
state
or
in
another
jurisdiction,
24
including
a
federal,
military,
tribal,
or
foreign
jurisdiction,
25
concerning
individuals
which
information
includes
identifiable
26
descriptions
and
notations
of
arrests,
detentions,
indictments,
27
or
other
formal
criminal
charges,
and
any
disposition
arising
28
therefrom,
including
acquittal,
deferred
judgment,
sentencing,
29
correctional
supervision,
release,
or
conviction,
and
any
30
sentence
arising
from
a
verdict
or
plea
of
guilty
or
nolo
31
contendere,
including
a
sentence
of
incarceration,
a
suspended
32
sentence,
a
sentence
of
probation,
or
a
sentence
of
conditional
33
discharge.
34
3.
“Director”
means
the
director
of
the
department
of
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inspections,
appeals,
and
licensing.
1
4.
“Employer”
means
a
person
who
has
four
or
more
employees
2
in
the
current
or
preceding
calendar
year
and
includes
an
agent
3
of
such
a
person.
For
purposes
of
this
chapter,
individuals
4
who
are
members
of
the
employer’s
family
shall
not
be
counted
5
as
employees.
6
5.
“Employment
agency”
means
a
person
who,
with
or
without
7
compensation,
regularly
brings
together
those
desiring
to
8
employ
and
those
desiring
employment
and
includes
an
agent
of
9
such
a
person.
10
Sec.
5.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.3
Prohibited
hiring
practices
——
11
exceptions.
12
1.
An
employer
or
employment
agency
shall
not
inquire
13
about
or
require
disclosure
of
the
criminal
record
or
criminal
14
history
of
an
applicant
until
the
applicant’s
interview
is
15
being
conducted
or,
if
an
interview
will
not
be
conducted,
16
until
after
a
conditional
offer
of
employment
is
made
to
the
17
applicant
by
the
employer
or
employment
agency.
18
2.
Subsection
1
does
not
apply
to
the
following
positions
19
if
an
employer
or
employment
agency
establishes
a
separate
20
application
form
for
such
positions
that
includes
the
title
and
21
job
description
of
the
position,
the
specific
state
or
federal
22
law
or
bonding
requirement
that
applies
to
the
position,
and
23
the
types
of
criminal
offenses
that
would
preclude
an
applicant
24
from
being
hired
for
the
position:
25
a.
Positions
for
which
employers
are
required
to
exclude
26
applicants
with
certain
criminal
convictions
from
employment
27
due
to
federal
or
state
law.
28
b.
Positions
for
which
a
fidelity
bond
or
an
equivalent
29
bond
is
required
and
an
applicant’s
conviction
of
one
or
more
30
specified
criminal
offenses
would
disqualify
the
applicant
from
31
obtaining
such
bond,
in
which
case
an
employer
may
include
a
32
question
or
otherwise
inquire
whether
the
applicant
has
ever
33
been
convicted
of
such
specified
criminal
offenses.
34
3.
Subsection
1
does
not
prohibit
an
employer
or
employment
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agency
from
notifying
applicants
in
writing
of
specific
1
offenses
that
will
disqualify
an
applicant
from
employment
in
a
2
particular
position
as
permitted
by
subsection
2.
3
4.
Subsection
1
does
not
apply
to
the
following
positions:
4
a.
Positions
for
which
an
employee
will
work
within
the
5
residence
of
the
employer
if
the
employer
or
members
of
the
6
employer’s
family
reside
therein
during
such
employment.
7
b.
Positions
for
which
an
employee
will
have
entry
access
to
8
a
personal
residence
or
an
occupied
unit
in
a
multiple
housing
9
structure.
10
c.
Positions
for
which
an
employee
will
render
personal
11
service
to
the
person
of
the
employer
or
members
of
the
12
employer’s
family.
13
5.
An
employment
agency
shall
not
be
liable
for
a
violation
14
of
subsection
1
if
the
employment
agency
can
demonstrate
by
15
clear
and
convincing
evidence
that
such
violation
was
caused
by
16
the
employment
agency’s
good-faith
reliance
on
an
affirmative
17
representation
by
an
employer
that
one
of
the
exceptions
listed
18
in
subsection
2
or
4
applied
to
the
position
in
question.
The
19
employer
shall
be
liable
for
any
such
violations.
20
Sec.
6.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.4
Powers
and
duties
of
the
21
director.
22
1.
The
director
may
hold
hearings
and
investigate
alleged
23
violations
of
this
chapter
by
an
employer
or
employment
agency.
24
2.
The
director
may
assess
and
recover
civil
penalties
in
25
accordance
with
sections
91F.5
and
91F.6.
26
3.
The
director
shall
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
to
27
administer
this
chapter.
28
Sec.
7.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.5
Civil
penalties
——
amount.
29
An
employer
or
employment
agency
who
violates
the
provisions
30
of
this
chapter
shall
be
subject
to
a
penalty
as
follows:
31
1.
For
a
first
violation,
the
director
shall
issue
a
written
32
warning
to
the
employer
or
employment
agency
that
includes
33
notice
regarding
penalties
for
subsequent
violations
and
the
34
employer
or
employment
agency
shall
have
thirty
days
to
remedy
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the
violation.
1
2.
For
a
second
violation,
or
if
a
previous
violation
is
2
not
remedied
within
thirty
days
of
notice
by
the
director,
3
the
director
may
impose
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
five
hundred
4
dollars.
5
3.
For
a
third
violation,
or
if
a
previous
violation
is
6
not
remedied
within
sixty
days
of
notice
by
the
director,
the
7
director
may
impose
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
one
thousand
five
8
hundred
dollars.
9
4.
For
subsequent
violations,
or
if
a
previous
violation
10
is
not
remedied
within
ninety
days
of
notice
by
the
director,
11
the
director
may
impose
a
civil
penalty
of
up
to
one
thousand
12
five
hundred
dollars
for
every
thirty
days
that
pass
thereafter
13
without
compliance.
14
Sec.
8.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.6
Civil
penalties
——
recovery.
15
1.
The
director
may
propose
that
an
employer
be
assessed
16
a
civil
penalty
as
provided
in
section
91F.4
by
serving
the
17
employer
with
notice
of
such
proposal
in
the
same
manner
as
an
18
original
notice
is
served
under
the
rules
of
civil
procedure.
19
Upon
service
of
such
notice,
the
proposed
assessment
shall
be
20
treated
as
a
contested
case
under
chapter
17A.
However,
an
21
employer
or
employment
agency
must
request
a
hearing
within
22
thirty
days
of
being
served.
23
2.
If
an
employer
or
employment
agency
does
not
request
a
24
hearing
pursuant
to
subsection
1
or
if
the
director
determines,
25
after
an
appropriate
hearing,
that
an
employer
or
employment
26
agency
is
in
violation
of
this
chapter,
the
director
shall
27
assess
a
civil
penalty
in
accordance
with
section
91F.5.
28
3.
An
employer
or
employment
agency
may
seek
judicial
29
review
of
any
assessment
made
under
subsection
2
by
instituting
30
proceedings
for
judicial
review
pursuant
to
chapter
17A.
31
However,
such
proceedings
must
be
instituted
in
the
district
32
court
of
the
county
in
which
the
violation
or
one
of
the
33
violations
occurred
and
within
thirty
days
of
the
day
on
which
34
the
employer
was
notified
that
an
assessment
has
been
made.
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4.
After
the
time
for
seeking
judicial
review
has
expired
or
1
after
all
judicial
review
has
been
exhausted
and
the
director’s
2
assessment
has
been
upheld,
the
director
shall
request
the
3
attorney
general
to
recover
the
assessed
penalties
in
a
civil
4
action.
5
5.
Civil
penalties
recovered
pursuant
to
this
section
shall
6
be
remitted
by
the
director
to
the
treasurer
of
state
for
7
deposit
in
the
general
fund
of
the
state.
8
Sec.
9.
NEW
SECTION
.
91F.7
Construction.
9
This
chapter
shall
not
be
construed
to
require
an
employer
to
10
employ
an
individual
with
a
criminal
record.
11
Sec.
10.
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
This
division
of
this
Act
takes
12
effect
January
1,
2026.
13
DIVISION
II
14
CRIMINAL
HISTORY
EMPLOYMENT
APPLICATION
TASK
FORCE
15
Sec.
11.
CRIMINAL
HISTORY
EMPLOYMENT
APPLICATION
TASK
FORCE
16
AND
REPORT.
17
1.
A
criminal
history
employment
application
task
force
18
is
created.
The
task
force
shall
consist
of
the
following
19
members:
20
a.
The
director
of
the
department
of
inspections,
appeals,
21
and
licensing
or
the
director’s
designee,
who
shall
represent
22
public
sector
employers.
23
b.
Two
representatives
of
established
civil
rights
and
24
civil
liberties
organizations
appointed
by
the
director.
25
c.
Two
representatives
of
private
sector
employers
26
appointed
by
the
director.
27
d.
One
representative
of
a
private
sector
labor
28
organization
appointed
by
the
director.
29
e.
One
representative
of
a
statewide
public
sector
labor
30
organization
appointed
by
the
director.
31
2.
The
task
force
shall
study
appropriate
voluntary
32
standards
and
procedures
for
evaluating
employment
applications
33
from
an
individual
with
a
criminal
history,
including
but
not
34
limited
to
the
nature
of
the
crime,
the
age
at
which
the
crime
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was
committed,
the
nature
of
the
duties
of
the
position
applied
1
for,
and
relevant
evidence
of
the
individual’s
rehabilitation.
2
3.
The
department
of
inspections,
appeals,
and
licensing
3
shall
provide
staffing
services
for
the
task
force.
The
4
director
or
the
director’s
designee
shall
serve
as
the
5
chairperson
of
the
task
force.
6
4.
The
members
of
the
task
force
shall
serve
without
7
compensation
and
shall
not
be
reimbursed
for
their
expenses.
8
5.
The
task
force
shall
submit
a
report
regarding
its
9
findings
and
recommendations
to
the
governor
and
the
general
10
assembly
no
later
than
January
1,
2026.
The
report
shall
11
include
a
model
pamphlet
or
other
publication
in
both
printed
12
and
electronic
form
on
evaluating
employment
applications
13
from
individuals
with
criminal
histories
to
be
distributed
to
14
employers
in
Iowa
in
a
manner
similar
to
other
information
15
distributed
by
the
director.
16
Sec.
12.
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
This
division
of
this
Act,
being
17
deemed
of
immediate
importance,
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
18
EXPLANATION
19
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
20
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
21
DIVISION
I
——
PROHIBITED
HIRING
PRACTICES
——
CRIMINAL
22
RECORD
OR
CRIMINAL
HISTORY.
Division
I
of
this
bill
prohibits
23
an
employer
or
employment
agency
from
inquiring
about
or
24
requiring
disclosure
of
the
criminal
record
or
criminal
25
history
of
an
applicant
until
the
applicant’s
interview
is
26
being
conducted.
If
an
interview
for
the
position
will
not
be
27
conducted,
the
prohibition
applies
until
after
a
conditional
28
offer
of
employment
is
made
to
the
applicant
by
the
employer
or
29
employment
agency.
30
The
prohibition
does
not
apply
to
certain
positions
listed
31
in
the
division
if
an
employer
or
employment
agency
establishes
32
a
separate
application
form
for
such
positions
that
includes
33
certain
information
listed
in
the
division.
The
division
does
34
not
prohibit
an
employer
or
employment
agency
from
notifying
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applicants
in
writing
of
specific
offenses
that
will
disqualify
1
an
applicant
from
employment
in
a
particular
position
as
2
permitted
by
these
exceptions.
3
The
prohibition
does
not
apply
to
certain
additional
4
positions
listed
in
the
division.
5
An
employment
agency
shall
not
be
liable
for
a
violation
of
6
the
prohibition
if
the
employment
agency
can
demonstrate
by
7
clear
and
convincing
evidence
that
such
violation
was
caused
by
8
the
employment
agency’s
good-faith
reliance
on
an
affirmative
9
representation
by
an
employer
that
one
of
the
exceptions
listed
10
in
the
bill
applied
to
the
position
in
question.
The
employer
11
shall
be
liable
for
any
such
violations.
12
The
division
defines
“applicant”
as
a
person
pursuing
13
employment
with
an
employer
or
with
or
through
an
employment
14
agency.
The
division
defines
“employer”
as
a
person
who
has
15
four
or
more
employees
in
the
current
or
preceding
calendar
16
year
and
an
agent
of
such
a
person,
excluding
family
members.
17
The
division
defines
“employment
agency”
as
a
person
who,
18
with
or
without
compensation,
regularly
brings
together
those
19
desiring
to
employ
and
those
desiring
employment
and
an
agent
20
of
such
a
person.
21
The
division
defines
“criminal
record
or
criminal
history”
22
as
information
collected
or
possessed
by
any
criminal
23
justice
agency
or
judicial
system
in
this
state
or
in
another
24
jurisdiction,
including
a
federal,
military,
tribal,
or
25
foreign
jurisdiction,
concerning
individuals
which
information
26
includes
identifiable
descriptions
and
notations
of
arrests,
27
detentions,
indictments,
or
other
formal
criminal
charges,
28
and
any
disposition
arising
therefrom,
including
acquittal,
29
deferred
judgment,
sentencing,
correctional
supervision,
30
release,
or
conviction,
and
any
sentence
arising
from
a
verdict
31
or
plea
of
guilty
or
nolo
contendere,
including
a
sentence
of
32
incarceration,
a
suspended
sentence,
a
sentence
of
probation,
33
or
a
sentence
of
conditional
discharge.
34
An
employer
or
employment
agency
that
violates
the
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provisions
of
the
division
is
subject
to
civil
penalties
1
ranging
from
a
written
warning
for
a
first
violation
to
up
to
2
$1,500
every
30
days
for
a
fourth
or
subsequent
violation
not
3
remedied
within
90
days.
4
The
director
of
the
department
of
inspections,
appeals,
and
5
licensing
may
hold
hearings
and
investigate
alleged
violations
6
of
the
division
by
an
employer
or
employment
agency,
may
assess
7
and
recover
civil
penalties
and
seek
assistance
from
the
8
attorney
general
in
such
recovery,
and
shall
adopt
rules
to
9
administer
the
division.
10
The
division
shall
not
be
construed
to
require
an
employer
to
11
employ
an
individual
with
a
criminal
record.
12
The
division
takes
effect
January
1,
2026.
13
DIVISION
II
——
CRIMINAL
HISTORY
EMPLOYMENT
APPLICATION
TASK
14
FORCE.
Division
II
of
the
bill
creates
a
criminal
history
15
employment
application
task
force.
The
task
force
shall
study
16
appropriate
voluntary
standards
and
procedures
for
evaluating
17
employment
applications
from
an
individual
with
a
criminal
18
history,
including
but
not
limited
to
the
nature
of
the
crime,
19
the
age
at
which
the
crime
was
committed,
the
nature
of
the
20
duties
of
the
position
applied
for,
and
relevant
evidence
of
21
the
individual’s
rehabilitation.
22
The
division
lists
the
membership
of
the
task
force.
The
23
director
shall
be
the
chairperson
of
the
task
force
and
24
the
labor
services
division
of
the
department
of
workforce
25
development
shall
provide
staffing
services
for
the
task
force.
26
The
task
force
shall
submit
a
report
regarding
its
findings
27
and
recommendations
to
the
governor
and
the
general
assembly
no
28
later
than
January
1,
2026.
The
report
shall
include
a
model
29
pamphlet
or
other
publication
in
both
printed
and
electronic
30
form
on
evaluating
employment
applications
from
individuals
31
with
criminal
histories
to
be
distributed
to
employers
in
Iowa
32
in
a
manner
similar
to
other
information
distributed
by
the
33
director.
34
The
division
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
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