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Kim Reynolds
governor
Office of the Governor Chris Cournoyer
LT GOVERNOR
June 02, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 503 1 9
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 2488, an Act relating to early childhood and family services, including the
creation of an early childhood and family services system, making appropriations,
convening an early childhood Iowa interim study committee, and including applicability,
retroactive applicability, and effective date provisions.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Kim Reynolds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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Senate File 2488
AN ACT
RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES, INCLUDING
THE CREATION OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES
SYSTEM, MAKING APPROPRIATIONS, CONVENING AN EARLY CHILDHOOD
IOWA INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE, AND INCLUDING APPLICABILITY,
RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY, AND EFFECTIVE DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
DIVISION I
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY SERVICES SYSTEM
Section 1. NEW SECTION . 234A.1 Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context
otherwise requires:
1. '''Community resources" means locally focused,
strength-based programs and supports that aim to enhance family
functioning and resilience, promote child development and
safety, and prevent future involvement with child protective
services or the juvenile justice system.
2. "Department" means the department of health and human
services .
3. "Early childhood and family services district" or "ECFS
district" means a health and human services district utilized
for the purpose of administering the ECFS system.
4. "Early childhood and family services district advisory
council" or "ECFS district advisory council" means an advisory
council established under section 234A.3
Senate File 2488, p. 2
5. '’'Early childhood and family services district plan" or
"ECFS district plan" means a plan developed by the department
to outline the ECFS system infrastructure of a district and
the programs and services intended to be provided within that
district .
6. '"'Early childhood and family services state plan" or "ECFS
state plan" means the plan developed by the department that
describes the key components of the state's ECFS system.
7. "Early childhood and family services system" or "ECFS
system" means the system established in section 234A.2.
8. "Early childhood and family services system fund" or "ECFS
system fund" means the fund created in section 234A.6.
9. "Early intervention strategies" means services and
supports designed to proactively identify and address risk
factors and includes services that aim to strengthen families,
promote healthy development, and reduce the likelihood of abuse
or neglect by providing timely, targeted assistance to children
and caregivers through the ECFS system.
10. "Evidence-based" means practices, programs, and policies
grounded in the best available research and data, and that have
been scientifically tested and shown to be effective through
rigorous evaluation.
11. "Family support services" include group-based parent
education and home visiting programs designed to strengthen
protective factors including parenting skills, increase
parental knowledge of child development, and increase family
functioning and problem-solving skills. Family support
services may be used as an early intervention strategy to
improve birth outcomes, parental knowledge, family economic
success, the home learning environment, family and child
involvement with others, and coordination with other community
resources. Family support services may have a specific focus
on preventing child maltreatment or ensuring children are safe,
healthy, and ready to succeed in school.
12. "Health and human services district" means the same as
defined in section 217.1.
13. "HOPES- HFI program" means the healthy opportunities for
parents to experience success — healthy families Iowa program
established in section 234A.5.
Senate File 2488, p. 3
14. ''‘Ongoing family and community resources" means a
continuum of sustained, accessible, and family-centered
resources provided through the ECFS system that help families
meet their needs, strengthen protective factors, and prevent
child abuse and neglect.
15. "'Primary prevention strategies" means a comprehensive
set of services and supports provided through the ECFS system
that are designed to strengthen families, promote healthy child
development, and prevent adverse outcomes before they occur.
These activities focus on addressing the underlying social,
economic, and environmental conditions that place children and
families at risk, such as poverty, social isolation, and lack
of access to quality early care and education.
16. "Protective factor" means an inherent strength,
resource, or capacity of a family, or a resource that helps a
family thrive, buffer against stress, and reduce the likelihood
of child abuse, neglect, or other poor outcome.
17 . "Strength-based" means an approach that focuses
on identifying and building upon the inherent strengths,
resources, and capacities of a family to support the family's
growth, resilience, and well-being.
Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 234A.2 Early childhood and family
services system — department powers and duties.
1. An early childhood and family services system is
established under the control of the department for the
purposes of implementing a statewide array of primary
prevention strategies, early intervention strategies, and
ongoing family and community resources for families and their
children under nineteen years of age.
2. The ECFS system shall be administered in a manner to
maximize funding opportunities, interagency collaboration, and
integration of activities and services that support positive
outcomes for children and families.
3. The ECFS system shall support equitable statewide access
to all services, supports, and other resources offered through
the ECFS system that, at a minimum, shall include all of the
following:
a. Evidence-based primary prevention strategies, including
family support services, designed to assist families in
Senate File 2488, p. 4
establishing healthy, successful futures.
b. Tailored early intervention strategies for children and
families to ensure long-term well-being, including economic
self-sufficiency.
c. Ongoing family and community resources for children and
families to address the root causes of child abuse and neglect
and enhance protective factors.
d. Specific service components including early childhood
services, evidence-based family support services, and community
resources .
4. To the extent funding is available, the department
shall do all of the following to develop and administer the
ECFS system and carry out the department's duties under this
chapter :
a. Plan, establish, and maintain primary prevention
strategies, early intervention strategies, and ongoing family
and community resources.
b. (1) Develop an early childhood and family services state
plan that is consistent with the department's agency strategic
plan adopted pursuant to section 8E.204, and the state health
improvement plan developed under section 217.17.
(2) When developing the ECFS state plan, the department
shall do all of the following:
(a) Collaborate with stakeholders including but not
limited to experienced public health and medical providers, law
enforcement, educators, the early childhood Iowa state board,
the early childhood Iowa area boards, and organizations that
represent populations including but not limited to children to
be served by the ECFS system.
(b) Publish the proposed ECFS state plan on the department's
internet site and allow the public to review and comment on the
proposed ECFS state plan prior to adoption.
c. Administer the ECFS system in each ECFS district based on
early childhood and family services district plans.
d. Develop ECFS district plans in collaboration with ECFS
system partners and stakeholders.
e. Establish ECFS district advisory councils pursuant to
section 234A.3.
f. Coordinate administration of each ECFS district plan with
Senate File 2488, p. 5
federal and state resources.
g. Enter into contracts as necessary to perform activities,
and provide services, supports, and other resources in
accordance with each ECFS district plan.
h. Coordinate district activities with other state agencies
and state-funded initiatives that support positive outcomes for
children and families.
i. Administer and distribute federal aid received, and state
appropriations, grants, and other moneys deposited into the
early childhood and family services system fund.
j. Oversee, provide technical assistance to, and monitor
department contractors to ensure compliance with ECFS district
plans.
k. Establish and maintain data collection and management
information systems to identify, collect, and analyze service
outcomes and performance data to address the needs of clients,
providers, the department, and ECFS system programs.
1. Collect, maintain, monitor, analyze, and utilize
information including but not limited to ECFS client records
and programmatic, state, and national data, engage in studies
and analyses, and gather relevant statistics to understand
emerging needs and effectively deploy information, resources,
and technical assistance in response.
in, Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this
chapter .
n. Take any other necessary actions to execute the
department's duties under this chapter or maintain compliance
with federal requirements.
5. The department may do all of the following to develop and
administer the ECFS system:
a. Cooperate with any state agency, political subdivision,
or federal governmental agency to apply for grants.
b. Solicit and accept for use any gift of money, by will or
otherwise, and any grant of money or services from the federal
government, the state, a political subdivision of the state or
federal government, or a private source.
Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 234A.3 Early childhood and family
services district advisory councils.
1. The department shall establish an early childhood
Senate File 2488, p. 6
and family services district advisory council in each ECFS
district. The department shall develop policies and procedures
for the operational functions of each ECFS district advisory
council .
2. An ECFS district advisory council shall consist of ten
members appointed by the department. Individuals eligible
for appointment include but are not limited to all of the
following :
a. Elected public officials who currently hold office within
the ECFS district.
b. Individuals who have experience or expertise related to
health, education, domestic assault response, abuse response,
or community-based child abuse prevention.
c. Individuals who are representative of the populations
served in the ECFS district advisory council's ECFS district.
d. Individuals who represent the faith community or
community partners in the ECFS district advisory council's ECFS
district .
3. An ECFS district advisory council shall do all of the
following:
a. Identify opportunities and address challenges based
on updates received from the department relating to the
implementation of the ECFS district plan for the ECFS district
advisory council's ECFS district.
b. Provide feedback to the department while the department
is developing ECFS system policies.
c. Advise the department on how to best provide families
access to primary prevention strategies, early intervention
strategies, and ongoing family and community resources
throughout the ECFS district advisory council's ECFS district.
4. An ECFS district advisory council shall perform the
duties required under this section regardless of whether any
seat on the ECFS district advisory council is vacant.
Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 234A.4 Data collection and use.
1. The department shall perform all of the following actions
related to ECFS system data:
a. (1) Collect, maintain, monitor, analyze, and utilize
data, including but not limited to child welfare data, Medicaid
data, ECFS system data, and other data depicting the status of
Senate File 2488, p. 7
children and families in the state, as necessary to issue cost
estimates for serving populations, make and receive payments,
conduct operations, and perform ECFS system activities.
(2) When performing duties under this paragraph, the
department shall maintain compliance with applicable federal
and state privacy laws to ensure the confidentiality and
integrity of individually identifiable data.
(3) The department shall periodically assess the status of
the department's compliance with subparagraph (2) to ensure
that data collected and maintained by the department under this
paragraph is protected.
b. To the extent possible, establish a record for each
individual receiving publicly funded ECFS system services.
Each record established under this paragraph shall include a
unique client identifier for the purposes of identifying and
tracking the individual's record.
c. Consult with department contractors and other ECFS system
stakeholders on an ongoing basis relating to the administration
of the ECFS system, including but not limited to reviewing
trends and outcomes as indicators for improving or modifying
administration of the ECFS system.
d. Engage with entities that maintain information the
department is required to collect pursuant to this section to
integrate data relating to individuals receiving ECFS system
services .
e. Engage with entities that maintain general population
data relating to the ECFS system to develop action plans,
create projections relating to a population's ECFS system
needs, develop ECFS system policies, and otherwise perform
activities as necessary to support families in achieving a
healthy, successful future.
2. The department shall ensure that public and private
agencies, organizations, and individuals that operate within
the ECFS system use uniform methods to maintain statistical
information relating to ECFS system outcomes and performance.
Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 234A.5 Healthy families programs —
HOPES-HFI program.
1. The department may establish the HOPES-HFI program to
provide services to families and children during a child's
Senate File 2488, p. 8
prenatal through preschool years. If established, the
HOPES-HFI program shall do all of the following:
a. Promote optimal child health and development.
b. Improve family coping skills and functioning.
c. Promote positive parenting skills and intrafamilial
interaction.
d. Prevent child abuse, child neglect, infant mortality, and
infant morbidity.
2. The department shall administer the HOPES-HFI program,
in whole or in part, by contracting with local organizations
that use evidence-based home visiting models.
Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 234A.6 Early childhood and family
services system fund.
1. An early childhood and family services system fund
is created in the state treasury under the control of the
department and consisting of any moneys appropriated to the
department for the ECFS system fund's purposes by the general
assembly and any other moneys available and obtained or
accepted by the department for deposit in the ECFS system fund.
The ECFS system fund shall be used to implement and administer
the ECFS system.
2. Moneys in the ECFS system fund are appropriated to the
department for the purposes of implementing and administering
the ECFS system.
3. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in
this section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the
close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain
available for expenditure for the purposes designated.
4. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or
earnings on moneys in the ECFS system fund shall be credited
to the ECFS system fund.
Sec. 7. REPEAL. Section 135.106, Code 2026, is repealed.
Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of
this Act enacting section 234A.6, being deemed of immediate
importance, takes effect upon enactment.
DIVISION II
DECATEGORIZATION INITIATIVE
Sec. 9. Section 235.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
Senate File 2488, p. 9
2. Membership. The depo-r-tment may authoriz e the gov e rnanc e
b oa-r-d s of d e categorization of child w e lfar e and juvenil e
justic e- funding projects e stablish e d und e r section 232.1 88 to
appoint — th e tran s ition committ e e memb e rship and may utiliz e
the boundaries of decategor izat-ion projects-to establish
th e s e r-vice areas for transition committ ee s. - The committee
A committee's membership may include but is not limited to
department staff involved with foster care, child welfare,
and adult services, juvenile court services staff, staff
involved with county general assistance or emergency relief
under chapter 251 or 252, school district and area education
agency staff involved with special education, and a child's
court appointed special advocate, guardian ad litem, service
providers, and other persons knowledgeable about the child.
Sec. 10. Section 237A.1, subsection 2, paragraph j,
subparagraph (2), Code 2026, is amended by striking the
subparagraph.
Sec. 11. Section 249A.26, subsection 5, Code 2026, is
amended by striking the subsection.
Sec. 12. Section 2561.4, subsection 6, Code 2026, is amended
by striking the subsection.
Sec. 13. REPEAL. Section 232.188, Code 2026, is repealed.
Sec. 14. DECATEGORIZATION FUNDING AND INITIATIVES.
1. For purposes of this section, unless the context
otherwise requires:
a. "Carryover funding" means unobligated or unencumbered
moneys described in section 232.188, subsection 5, paragraph
"b", Code 2026, at the close of the fiscal year beginning July
1, 2025.
b. "Decategorization initiative" means the services and
activities funded through a funding pool.
c. "Department" means the department of health and human
services .
d. "Funding" means moneys transferred to and remaining in a
funding pool at the close of the fiscal year that began July 1,
2025, and that consist of any of the following:
(1) Moneys appropriated by the general assembly and
designated for a decategorization initiative.
(2) Moneys appropriated by the general assembly to the
Senate File 2488, p. 10
department for child welfare and juvenile justice services and
designated for a decategorization initiative by the department.
(3) Moneys appropriated to juvenile court services for
juvenile justice programs and designated for a decategorization
initiative .
(4) Carryover funding.
e. "Funding pool" means the same as defined in section
232.188, Code 2026.
f. "Governance board" means the same as defined in section
232.188, Code 2026.
2. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
funding that consists of moneys designated for decategorization
initiatives and transferred to a funding pool by the department
that remains in a funding pool at the close of the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2025, that has been encumbered or obligated
by the governance board for a decategorization initiative or
by contract beyond the end of that fiscal year, shall remain
available for expenditure to ensure continuation of such
decategorization initiative or contract until the close of the
succeeding fiscal year, unless otherwise determined by the
department under subsection 5.
b. Any encumbered or obligated moneys remaining in a funding
pool as specified in paragraph "a" at the close of the fiscal
year that begins July 1, 2026, which are not encumbered or
obligated by the department as determined under subsection 5
shall be transferred and appropriated to the department.
3. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,
juvenile court services shall terminate all decategorization
initiative contracts funded through moneys designated for a
decategorization initiative and transferred to a funding pool
by juvenile court services at the close of the fiscal year
that began July 1, 2025, and shall not renew or extend such
contracts .
b. Moneys encumbered or obligated under a contract
terminated under this subsection that remain in a funding pool
at the close of the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, shall
be transferred and appropriated to juvenile court services.
4. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
contrary, moneys that remain in a funding pool at the end of
Senate File 2488, p. 11
the fiscal year that began July 1, 2025, that are unencumbered
or unobligated by the governance board for a decategorization
initiative or by contract at the close of the fiscal year,
shall be transferred and appropriated to the department and
juvenile court services proportionately based on the percentage
of moneys designated for decategorization initiatives and
transferred to funding pools by each entity for each fiscal
year for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2020, and ending
June 30, 2026.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary
including section 8.33, moneys transferred and appropriated
to the department and juvenile court services under this
subsection shall not revert but shall remain available to those
entities to be used for child welfare and juvenile justice
services until expended.
5. a. With input from appropriate stakeholders, the
department shall identify each contract funded through a
funding pool impacted by this division of this Act.
b. The department shall evaluate each contract identified
under paragraph "a" to determine the following:
(1) If termination is permitted by the terms of a contract
being evaluated, whether the department should exercise the
option to terminate the contract by June 30, 2026, or continue
the contract until the end of the current contract term.
(2) If termination is not permitted by the terms of the
contract, whether the contract should be renewed or extended by
the department at the end of the current contract term.
(3) Whether the department should assume responsibility
for a contract for the remainder of the current term of the
contract, for the term of the contract if the contract is
renewed, or for the term of the contract if the contract is
extended to avoid service interruption.
c. Unless otherwise provided under this section, a
governance board or other entity shall not execute a contract
for a decategorization initiative if the contract is funded
through moneys in a funding pool after the effective date of
this section of this division of this Act, or if the term of the
contract extends beyond, or the deliverables under the contract
would be provided after, June 30, 2027.
Senate File 2488, p. 12
Sec. 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of
this Act related to decategorization funding and initiatives,
being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon
enactment .
Sec. 16. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. The section of this
division of this Act related to decategorization funding and
initiatives applies retroactively to July 1, 2025.
DIVISION III
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM
Sec. 17. Section 144. 13A, subsection 5, paragraph a, Code
2026, is amended to read as follows:
a. Ten dollars of each registration fee is appropriated and
shall be used for primär y^and- secondary child abuse prevention
program s— pur s uant to s e ction 23 5 A.1 , and ten dollars of each
registration fee is appropriated and shall be used for the
congenital and inherited disorders central registry established
pursuant to section 136A.6. Notwithstanding section 8.33,
moneys appropriated in this paragraph that remain unencumbered
or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert
but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes
designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year, and
shall not be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated, or
otherwise encumbered except as provided in this paragraph.
Sec. 18. Section 422. 12K, Code 2026, is amended to read as
follows :
422. 12K Income tax checkoff for child abuse prevention
program fund.
1. A person who files an individual or a joint income tax
return with the department of revenue under section 422.13 may
designate one dollar or more to be paid to the e b-i-ld abus e
pr e v e ntion program early childhood and family services system
fund created in section 23 5 A. 2 234A.6, to be used for the
purpose of child abuse prevention . If the refund due on the
return or the payment remitted with the return is insufficient
to pay the additional amount designated by the taxpayer to
the child abuse- pr e v e ntion-program early childhood and family
services system fund, the amount designated shall be reduced to
the remaining amount remitted with the return. The designation
of a contribution to the child abuse pr e v e ntion program early
Senate File 2488, p. 13
childhood and family services system fund under this section
is irrevocable.
2. The director of revenue shall draft the income tax form
to allow the designation of contributions to the cfrHd abus e
prev e ntion prog-ram early childhood and family services system
fund on the tax return. The department of revenue, on or
before January 31, shall transfer the total amount designated
on the tax return forms due in the preceding calendar year to
the child abus e - pr e v e ntion program early childhood and family
services system fund. However, before a checkoff pursuant
to this section shall be permitted, all liabilities on the
books of the department and accounts identified as owing under
section 421.65 shall be satisfied.
3. The department of health and human services may authorize
payment of moneys from the chi-l-d— abu s e pr e v e nt-i-on program early
childhood and family services system fund for the purpose
of child abuse prevention in accordance with section 2-3 5A . 2
234A.6 .
4. The department of revenue shall adopt rules to administer
this section.
5. This section is subject to repeal under section 422. 12E.
Sec. 19. REPEAL. Sections 235A.1, 235A.2, and 235A.3, Code
2026, are repealed.
Sec. 20. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM FUND — TRANSFER
OF MONEYS. Any unencumbered or unobligated moneys remaining
in the child abuse prevention program fund created in section
235A.2, on June 30, 2026, shall be transferred to the early
childhood and family services system fund created in section
234A.6, as enacted in this Act.
Sec. 21. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM — REVIEW OF
CONTRACTS IMPACTED BY TRANSITION TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD
AND FAMILY SERVICES SYSTEM. With input from appropriate
stakeholders, the department shall review the child abuse
prevention program's contract for program administration and
each grant project funded through the child abuse prevention
program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending
June 30, 2026, impacted by this division of this Act. The
department shall work with the child abuse prevention program's
program administrator, local child abuse stakeholders, and
Senate File 2488, p. 14
grant project recipients to transition the funding and child
abuse prevention administration and service delivery to the
early childhood and family services system established in
division I of this Act.
Sec. 22. EFFECTIVE DATE. The section of this division of
this Act relating to the review of contracts impacted by the
transition of the child abuse prevention program to the early
childhood and family services system, being deemed of immediate
importance, takes effect upon enactment.
Sec. 23. RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. The section of this
division of this Act relating to the review of contracts
impacted by the transition of the child abuse prevention
program to the early childhood and family services system
applies retroactively to July 1, 2025.
DIVISION IV
EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE — EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY
SERVICES
Sec. 24. EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INITIATIVE - EARLY CHILDHOOD
AND FAMILY SERVICES.
1. For purposes of this section, unless the context
otherwise requires:
a. "Department" means the department of health and human
services.
b. "Early childhood Iowa area" means the same as defined in
section 2561.1.
c. "Early childhood Iowa area board" means the same as
defined in section 2561.1.
d. "Early childhood Iowa initiative" means the same as
described in section 2561.2.
e. "ECFS system" means the same as defined in section
234A.1, as enacted in division I of this Act.
2. If the department receives a request from an early
childhood Iowa area board to transition administration of home
visiting services to the ECFS system, the department shall
develop and implement a plan to facilitate the transfer. The
department's plan shall, at a minimum, include all of the
following :
a. With input from appropriate stakeholders, the department
shall identify each current home visiting services contract
Senate File 2488, p. 15
executed by the early childhood Iowa area board requesting the
transfer of administration of home visiting services. The
early childhood Iowa area board shall, if permitted by the
terms of a contract, exercise the option to terminate the
contract. If a contract does not permit early termination, the
contract shall be terminated at the end of the current term of
the contract. A contract identified under this paragraph shall
not be renewed or extended at the end of the current contract
term.
b. All debts, claims, or other liabilities owed to an early
childhood Iowa area board, or the board's early childhood
Iowa area, due to home visiting services provided or rendered
pursuant to chapter 2561 prior to transfer of administration
of home visiting services to the ECFS system shall remain due
and owing after administration of home visiting services is
transferred to the ECFS system. Each fiscal agent contracted
with an early childhood Iowa area board shall collect such
outstanding debts, claims, or other liabilities.
c. An early childhood Iowa area board or an agent of an
early childhood Iowa area board shall not enter into, renew, or
extend a home visiting services contract related to the early
childhood Iowa initiative or related activities if the term
of the contract extends past, or the deliverables under the
contract would be provided after, the date administration of
the home visiting services is transferred to the ECFS system.
d. The department shall ensure that individuals currently
receiving home visiting services provided through the early
childhood Iowa initiative by the early childhood Iowa area
board requesting the transfer of administration of home
visiting services have uninterrupted continuity of care during
the transition.
e. The department shall maintain ongoing communication
with, and provide a means to receive input from, the early
childhood Iowa area board requesting the transfer of
administration of home visiting services during the selection
process for home visiting services providers in the early
childhood Iowa area board's early childhood Iowa area. The
department shall collaborate with the director of the early
childhood Iowa area board when selecting a home visiting
Senate File 2488, p. 16
services provider. The department shall ensure that each
contract the department enters into for home visiting services
requires that the contracted home visiting services provider
inform the early childhood Iowa area board that the home
visiting services provider will provide home visiting services
in the early childhood Iowa area board's early childhood Iowa
area .
3. During and after the transfer of administration of home
visiting services to the ECFS system, and contingent upon the
department's receipt of additional federal funds for home
visiting services pursuant to the Social Security Act, Tit.
IV-E, the department shall annually redistribute among all
early childhood Iowa areas that made a request under subsection
2 the following percentages of the additional federal funds
received for coordination of early childhood services for
children from age zero through age five:
a. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, and ending
June 30, 2028, twenty-five percent.
b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2028, and ending
June 30, 2029, fifteen percent.
c. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2029, and ending
June 30, 2030, five percent.
DIVISION V
EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE
Sec. 25. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — EARLY CHILDHOOD IOWA
INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE.
1. The legislative council shall convene a study committee
during the 2026 legislative interim to review the most
efficient means to transition home visiting services offered
through an early childhood Iowa area, as that term is defined
in section 2561.1, to another system based on districts created
by the department of health and human services and to implement
the transition with minimal disruption to home visitation
services. At a minimum, the study committee shall review all
of the following:
a. The financial and logistical consequences to the early
childhood Iowa system and home visitation services.
b. The effects on statewide access to services currently
provided through early childhood Iowa, including but not
Senate File 2488, p. 17
limited to the quality of services and the coordination between
providers and the department.
c. The impact on rural and underserved communities.
d. Possible courses of action to transition home visitation
services to ensure the early childhood Iowa system remains
viable and effective in the long term.
2. a. The study committee's voting members shall consist
of the following:
(1) Two members of the senate appointed by the senate
majority leader.
(2) One member of the senate appointed by the senate
minority leader.
(3) Two members of the house of representatives appointed
by the house majority leader.
(4) One member of the house of representatives appointed by
the house minority leader.
b. The study committee's nonvoting members shall consist of
the following:
(1) Two members of the association of early childhood Iowa
area boards and advocates appointed by the association of early
childhood Iowa area boards and advocates.
(2) Two early childhood Iowa stakeholders appointed by the
association of early childhood Iowa area boards and advocates.
(3) Two persons with relevant expertise appointed by the
association of early childhood Iowa area boards and advocates.
(4) Two representatives of the department of health and
human services.
(5) One representative of the department of education.
(6) One representative of the department of workforce
development .
(7) One representative of the economic development
authority.
3. The department of health and human services shall
cooperate with any formal request for data from the study
committee. All personal identifying information shall be
redacted prior to submitting the requested data to the study
committee .
4. The study committee shall submit a final report with the
study committee's findings and recommendations to the general
Senate File 2488, p. 18
assembly no later than January 8, 2027. In lieu of a final
report, the study committee may submit a bill draft to the
general assembly with proposed changes to the Code based on the
study committee's findings.
DIVISION VI
CONFORMING CHANGES
Sec. 26. Section 232.69, subsection 1, paragraph b,
subparagraph (5), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
(5) An employee or operator of a licensed child care center,
registered child development home, head start program, family
development and self-sufficiency grant program under section
216A.107, or healthy opportunities for parents to experience
success — healthy families Iowa program under section 135.10 6
234A.5 .
Sec. 27. Section 237A.30, subsection 1, Code 2026, is
amended to read as follows:
1. The department shall work with the -cor -l y eh-i-l-dhood
S owa-program — e stablished in — se ct-ion 25 6 1. 5 in de s igning— and
implefftefttiftg- implement a voluntary quality rating system for
each provider type of child care facility.
Sec. 28. Section 2561.13, subsection 1, Code 2026, is
amended to read as follows:
1. In order to implement the legislative intent stated
in s e ctions 13 5- ;10 6 and section 2561.9, that priority for
family support program funding be given to programs using
evidence-based or promising models for family support, it is
the intent of the general assembly that ninety percent of state
funds expended for family support programs shall be used for
evidence-based or promising program models. The remaining ten
percent of funds may be used for innovative program models that
do not yet meet the definition of evidence-based or promising
programs .
DIVISION VII
CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVES
Sec. 29. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVES. The Code editor is
directed to do all of the following:
1. Make changes in any Code sections amended or enacted
by any other Act to correspond with the changes made in this
Act if there appears to be no doubt as to the proper method of
Senate File 2488, p. 19
making the changes and the changes would not be contrary to or
inconsistent with the purposes of this Act or any other Act.
2. Correct internal references in the Code and in enacted
legislation as necessary due to the enactment of this Act.
- L
AMY SINCLAZ PAT GRASSLEY,
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 2488, Ninety-first General Assembly.
W. CHARLES SMITHSON
Approve
Governor