2008 SUMMARY OF NEW STATE LAWS - IOWA

BILL #

CHAPTER #

ISSUE

BILL DESCRIPTION

HF 2266

No chapter numbers used in Iowa.

Traffic Offenses

Relates to the criminal offenses of eluding or attempting to elude law enforcement vehicles and the possession of incendiary or explosive devices or materials, and the regulation of explosives; provides penalties. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

HF 2268

Consumer Credit

Makes specified revisions to the consumer credit code; updates references to the federal Truth in Lending Act; redefines personal property relating to consumer rental purchase agreements to exclude from the definition property in the form of a motor vehicle, a manufactured home, or a manufactured or mobile home. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

HF 2383

State Regulation

Makes nonsubstantive corrections to certain provisions relating to insurance and making repeals. Effective date: Varies.

HF 2542

Workers’ Compensation

Concerns work related injuries suffered and claims made outside of this state and workers' compensation proceedings to reopen awards for payments or agreements for settlement of contested cases; authorizes such claims to be made for injuries suffered by an employee while working outside the state under specified circumstances; revises provisions for the reopening of a claim. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

HF 2555

State Regulation

Relates to the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce, uniform securities, duties of the Insurance Division including a consumer advocate and rate reviews, confidential information, examinations, insurance trade practices, insurance fraud, the state Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association, viatical settlement investment contracts, general agents and third party administrators and life insurance companies; provides for health maintenance organizations, worker's compensation and reinsurance. Effective date: Varies.

HF 2568

Workers’ Compensation

Relates to the calculation of certain weekly workers' compensation benefits by requiring certain weekly workers' compensation benefits to be calculated by including an employee's shift differential pay and by changing the basis for calculating the weekly rate for certain injured inmates. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

HF 2651

Traffic Offenses

Relates to highway funds, bidding, deposits made by a county to the secondary road fund, physical ability tests required for fire fighter applicants and obligations guaranteed by highway funds, including utility facility relocation; provides for collegiate motor vehicle registration plates, antique vehicle registration fees, vehicle dealer education, fees for oversize or overweight vehicles, speeding in road work zones, drinking driver courses and defeasance of petroleum underground storage tanks. Effective date: Varies.

SF 517

Building Codes

Relates to the development, management and efficient use of energy resources; makes energy-related modifications to the state building code by providing for training, administration, and enforcement of energy conservation requirements; relates to financing agreements for an energy management improvement or for associated project costs; relates to thermal efficiency and lighting; includes provisions for single or two-family residential construction; provides for training to builders and contractors. Effective date: April 29, 2008.

SF 2156

Commercial Auto

Regulates commercial motor vehicle operators; defines employer as any person who owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle or assigns employees to operate such a vehicle; redefines tank vehicle to exclude certain portable and permanent tanks; relates to disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle if a person receives convictions within a 3-year period; prohibits employers from knowingly allowing a commercial motor vehicle operator to violate railroad-highway grade crossings laws. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

SF 2221

Workers’ Compensation

Relates to computation of workers' compensation benefit payments for burial expenses. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

SF 2277

Identity Theft – Security Freeze

Relates to offenses against identity by establishing a procedure to secure credit information and providing a penalty; allows an individual, the consumer, to place a hold on the individual's consumer report to prevent a consumer reporting agency from releasing any information relating to the individual's credit worthiness without first obtaining the individual's express authorization; provides that a consumer reporting agency cannot charge any fees to an individual who is the victim of identify theft. Effective date: July 1, 2008.

SF 2303

Workers’ Compensation

Allows parties to a settlement for workers' compensation benefits to agree that the employee has the right to medically related benefits under such terms and conditions as agreed to by the parties in the settlement, for a specified period of time after the settlement has been approved by the Workers' Compensation Commissioner; provides that during that time, the Commissioner retains jurisdiction of the settlement for the purpose of adjudicating the employee's entitlement to the medically related benefits. Effective date: May 7, 2008.

SF 2308

Identity Theft – Security Breach

Requires any person who owns or licenses computerized data that includes a consumer's personal information that was subject to a breach of security to give notice of the breach of security following discovery of such breach; provides exceptions; requests the establishment of an interim study committee to assess and review the extent to which public officials, entities, and affiliated organizations in possession of personal information of a state resident are disclosing such information for compensation. Effective date: July 1, 2008.