A bill for an act relating to local laws implementing the Iowa civil rights Act of 1965, local civil rights commissions, and local civil rights agencies, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1184 .) Effective date: 03/10/2026.

STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
March 10,2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 579, an Act relating to local laws implementing the Iowa civil rights Act of
1965, local civil rights commissions, and local civil rights agencies, and including
effective date provisions.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
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 579
AN ACT
RELATING TO LOCAL LAWS IMPLEMENTING THE IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF
1965, LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONS, AND LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS
AGENCIES, AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE DATE PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 216.19, subsection 1, unnumbered
paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
All cities shall, to the extent possible, protect the rights
of the citizens of this state secured by the Iowa civil rights
Act . A city or local government shall not enact any ordinance
or other law which is broader or has different categories of
unfair or discriminatory practices than those provided in
this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as
indicating any of the following:
Sec. 2. Section 216.19, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code
2026, is amended by striking the paragraph.
Sec. 3. Section 216.19, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
2. A city with a popul-a-t-i-on of — t w e nty-nin e — R hetts a nd ,— or-
gr e at e r ,— s h-all may maintain an independent local civil rights
agency or commission consistent with agency rules adopted
pursuant to chapter 17A. An agency or commission for which a
staff is provided shall have control over such staff. A city
r e quir e d to ma-intain that maintains a local civil rights agency
or commission shall structure and adequately fund the agency
or commission in order to effect cooperative undertakings with
Senate File 579, p. 2
the Iowa office of civil rights and to aid in effectuating the
purposes of this chapter.
Sec. 4. Section 216.19, Code 2026, is amended by adding the
following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION . 9. Any complaint filed with a local agency
or local commission where a party is a political subdivision
shall be referred to the Iowa office of civil rights for
processing .
NEW SUBSECTION . 10. a. A local agency or local commission
complaint, upon request by any party, shall be transferred to
the Iowa office of civil rights for processing if the complaint
alleges a violation of this chapter and has not been resolved
within twelve months of the filing date of the complaint.
b. The local agency or local commission shall within three
hundred days of the filing date of the complaint do all of the
following :
(1) (a) Send notice to all parties of a party's right to
direct transfer of the complaint to the Iowa office of civil
rights from the local agency or local commission after twelve
months if the complaint alleges a violation of this chapter.
The notice shall be sent to all parties by verified mail,
or electronic notice if the party is enrolled in electronic
notification .
(b) The local agency or local commission shall notify the
Iowa office of civil rights of the complaint upon the provision
of notice to all parties.
(2) Cross file a complaint with the Iowa office of civil
rights if the local agency or local commission complaint arises
from an alleged violation of a state law, rule, or regulation
under the jurisdiction of the Iowa office of civil rights.
This subparagraph shall not be construed to prohibit a local
agency or local commission from cross filing a complaint with
any other federal or state agency, commission, or entity, if
the local agency or local commission complaint arises from
an alleged violation of a state or federal law, rule, or
regulation of a state or federal agency, commission, or entity.
NEW SUBSECTION . 11. The term of a commissioner appointed to
a local agency or local commission shall be for two years.
NEW SUBSECTION . 12. A local agency or local commission
Senate File 579, p. 3
that accepts complaints shall inform a person filing a
complaint that the person may file the complaint with the Iowa
office of civil rights in lieu of filing with the local agency
or local commission.
Sec. 5. COMPLAINTS FILED WITH LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS
COMMISSIONS AND LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS AGENCIES. If, as of the
effective date of this Act, a complaint has been pending with a
local civil rights commission or local civil rights agency for
at least twelve months from the filing date of the complaint,
the local civil rights commission or local civil rights agency
shall provide all parties notice of a party's right to direct
transfer of the complaint to the Iowa office of civil rights.
The local commission or agency shall also notify the Iowa
office of civil rights of all the pending cases for which
notice was provided pursuant to this section.
Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
importance, takes effect upon enactment. / /
AMY SINCLAIR 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 579, Ninety-first General Assembly.
W. CHARLES SMITHSON
Secretary of the Senate
Approved ftwdi 10 _, 2026
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor