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SF296 • 2026

A bill for an act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty. (Formerly SF 31 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

A bill for an act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty. (Formerly SF 31 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Healthcare
Enacted

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

Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Last action
2025-05-06
Official status
Signed by Governor . S.J. 943 .
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 allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty. (Formerly SF 31 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

A bill for an act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty.

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty.
  • (Formerly SF 31 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

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

  1. 2025-05-06 Iowa Legislature

    Signed by Governor . S.J. 943 .

  2. 2025-05-06 Iowa Legislature

    Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor. S.J. 942 .

  3. 2025-04-22 Iowa Legislature

    Message from House. S.J. 846 .

  4. 2025-04-21 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. H.J. 1010 .

  5. 2025-04-21 Iowa Legislature

    Passed House , yeas 90, nays 1. H.J. 1006 .

  6. 2025-04-10 Iowa Legislature

    Placed on calendar under unfinished business. H.J. 928 .

  7. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Placed on calendar. H.J. 814 .

  8. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Committee vote: Yeas, 22. Nays, 1. H.J. 814 .

  9. 2025-03-25 Iowa Legislature

    Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 814 .

  10. 2025-03-20 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee recommends passage.

  11. 2025-03-19 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/20/2025 12:30PM RM 102.

  12. 2025-03-13 Iowa Legislature

    Subcommittee: Vondran, Gjerde and Wills, J. H.J. 657 .

  13. 2025-03-12 Iowa Legislature

    Read first time, referred to Public Safety. H.J. 615 .

  14. 2025-03-12 Iowa Legislature

    Message from Senate. H.J. 609 .

  15. 2025-03-11 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. S.J. 488 .

  16. 2025-03-11 Iowa Legislature

    Passed Senate , yeas 47, nays 0. S.J. 486 .

  17. 2025-02-12 Iowa Legislature

    Committee report, approving bill. S.J. 261 .

  18. 2025-02-12 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 254 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary medical services while on duty. (Formerly SF 31 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 6, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 296, an Act allowing police service dogs to receive emergency veterinary
medical services while on duty.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Kim AsyTiolds
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
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Senate File 296
AN ACT
ALLOWING POLICE SERVICE DOGS TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY VETERINARY
MEDICAL SERVICES WHILE ON DUTY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 147A.8, Code 2025, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 3. Provide veterinary medical services by
diagnosing or treating a severely injured police service dog
as provided in section 169.4.
Sec. 2. Section 169.4, Code 2025, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 17. a. An emergency medical care provider
certified pursuant to chapter 147A who elects to provide
veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a police
service dog, if all of the following apply:
Senate File 296, p. 2
( 1) The police service dog was on duty under the supervision
of a peace officer as defined in section 801.4.
( 2) The police service dog suffered a severe injury.
( 3) The veterinary medical services are necessary to
immediately stabilize the police service dog's condition for
later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or the
holder of a valid temporary permit.
b. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
to chapter 147A may elect not to provide veterinary medical
services under paragraph " a".
c. If an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
to chapter 147A elects to provide veterinary medical services
under paragraph " a"", the emergency medical care provider shall
not be civilly liable for diagnosing or treating the police
service dog if the emergency medical care provider acted
reasonably and in good faith.
d, An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant to
chapter 147A electing to provide veterinary medical services
under paragraph - a - shall comply with all of the following:
( 1) The emergency medical care provider may diagnose
or treat a severely injured police service dog only after
the emergency medical care provider furnishes all diagnoses
or treatment needed by the last human at the scene of the
emergency.
( 2) The emergency medical care provider shall not use
equipment, or shall discontinue the use of equipment, to
diagnose or treat a severely injured police service dog at the
scene of an emergency, if any of the following apply:
( a) The equipment is needed to diagnose or treat a human at
the scene of the emergency.
( b) The equipment is dispatched to another location.
( 3) The emergency medical care provider shall not diagnose
or treat a severely injured police service dog, or shall
discontinue diagnosing or treating a severely injured police
service dog, at the scene of an emergency, if any of the
following apply:
( a) The emergency medical care provider is dispatched to
another location.
President of the Senate
Senate File 296, p. 3
( b) A vehicle used to transport the emergency medical care
provider is dispatched to another location.
e. A severely injured police service dog shall not be
transported in a vehicle that provides emergency medical or
ambulance services.
lte••We• PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 296, Ninety-first General Assembly.
C ,
W. CHAR ES SMITHSON
Secret. y of = e Senate
Approved 2025
KIM RE
Governor