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SF 591IOWASession 2025-2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Iowa Senate File 591 Overhauls Disaster Mitigation Financing, Housing Assistance, and Insurance Adjuster Regulations

Original title: A bill for an act relating to the natural hazard mitigation financing program, the disaster recovery housing assistance program, the disaster recovery new housing program, post-loss assignment of benefits, the licensing and regulation of adjusters, appraisers, and umpires, and the Iowa economic emergency fund, and providing penalties, making appropriations, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 1188 ; See SF 619 .)

Last action · April 24, 2025: Explanation of vote. H.J. 1070 .

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What This Bill Does

Senate File 591 establishes new disaster financing programs and housing assistance funds, sets strict conduct and licensing rules for insurance adjusters, appraisers, and s, and appropriates $13.6 million from the state economic emergency fund for disaster recovery and nuisance remediation. The legislation creates revolving loan funds for natural hazard mitigation, regulates post-ion insurance assignments, and provides tax exemptions for qualifying disaster housing grants.

Why it matters

Homeowners, renters, and insurance professionals across Iowa face new compliance standards, licensing requirements, and consumer protections when handling disaster claims and s. Local governments and eligible entities gain access to low-interest revolving loans for natural hazard mitigation projects, while the state dedicates annual emergency funds for disaster response.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Homeowners and Renters

Primary residence owners and renters impacted by natural disasters become eligible for financial assistance, housing grants, and forgivable loans, while gaining new cancellation rights for post-loss contracts.

Directly affected

Residential Contractors

Residential contractors are subject to strict prohibitions under post-loss assignments, including bans on deductible rebating, administrative fees, and entering contracts during post-disaster freeze periods.

Directly affected

Insurance Adjusters, Appraisers, and Umpires

Insurance professionals must obtain formal licenses from the Iowa Insurance Division, maintain $50,000 surety bonds, pass written examinations, and adhere to codified standards of conduct.

Directly affected

Municipalities and Local Governments

Local governmental bodies can access revolving loan funds to finance natural hazard mitigation projects and hazard resilience infrastructure.

Key Facts

  • Establishes the Natural Hazard Mitigation Financing Program as a joint undertaking of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Iowa Finance Authority.
  • Creates the natural hazard mitigation revolving loan fund in the state treasury to provide loans to eligible entities for projects mitigating drought, severe storms, wildfires, earthquakes, flooding, and erosion.
  • Authorizes the Iowa Finance Authority to issue tax-exempt bonds and notes to fund the program and state matching requirements under the federal STORM Act.
  • Appropriates $2,000,000 from the Iowa economic emergency fund to the Economic Development Authority for deposit in the nuisance property remediation assistance fund for fiscal year 2024-2025.
Show all 12 facts
  • Appropriates $11,600,000 from the Iowa economic emergency fund to the Iowa Finance Authority for deposit in the disaster recovery housing assistance fund for fiscal year 2024-2025.
  • Appropriates ten percent of the maximum balance of the Iowa economic emergency fund annually to the Department of Management for disaster response and recovery, contingent upon a governor's disaster proclamation and executive council approval.
  • Excludes qualifying state disaster recovery new housing grants applied for between August 20, 2024, and December 31, 2024, from state income tax calculations retroactively to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2024.
  • Prohibits residential contractors from rebating insurance deductibles, charging cancellation fees, acting as unlicensed public adjusters, or receiving unrelated payments under post-loss assignments.
  • Gives named insureds the right to cancel a post-loss assignment without penalty within five business days or after thirty calendar days if work has not substantially commenced.
  • Prohibits residential contractors and public adjusters from entering into contracts containing post-loss assignments for a minimum of 72 hours following a catastrophic disaster.
  • Requires public adjusters, appraisers, and umpires to be licensed by the Iowa Insurance Division, pass written examinations, maintain surety bonds of at least $50,000, and adhere to strict standards of conduct and fee caps.
  • Establishes a formal, structured appraisal process involving the selection of appraisers and umpires, mandatory disclosure of conflicts of interest, and binding itemized awards within specified timelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Financing Program?
The program is created to make low-interest loans available to eligible entities to finance all or part of the costs of projects that mitigate the impact of natural hazards such as flooding, severe storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, and wildfires.
Can homeowners cancel a post-loss assignment with a residential contractor?
Yes. A named insured has the right to cancel a without penalty for any reason within five business days of receiving a fully executed copy, or after 30 calendar days if the contractor has not substantially performed scheduled work.
What licensing requirements apply to property appraisers and umpires?
Appraisers and s must be licensed by the Iowa Insurance Division, submit applications through the NIPR gateway, pass written examinations, maintain a surety bond of at least $50,000, and complete continuing education requirements.
How are disaster recovery housing assistance funds allocated?
The Iowa Finance Authority uses moneys in the disaster recovery housing assistance fund to award forgivable loans and financial assistance to eligible homeowners and grants to eligible renters of disaster-affected homes following a governor's disaster emergency proclamation.

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

59 actions
  1. Apr 24, 2025House
    Explanation of vote. H.J. 1070 .
  2. Apr 22, 2025SenateEnrolled
    Signed by Governor . S.J. 860 .
  3. Apr 21, 2025Senate
    Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor. S.J. 844 .
  4. Apr 21, 2025House
    Message from House. S.J. 831 .
  5. Apr 17, 2025House
    Withdrawn. H.J. 985 .
  6. Apr 17, 2025House
    SF 619 substituted. H.J. 983 .
Show 53 earlier actions
  1. Apr 17, 2025HouseFloor
    Amendment H-1248 filed, adopted. H.J. 983 .
  2. Apr 17, 2025House
    Immediate message. H.J. 985 .
  3. Apr 17, 2025HouseFloor
    Passed House , yeas 91, nays 1. H.J. 984 .
  4. Apr 17, 2025House
    Substituted for HF 1012 . H.J. 983 .
  5. Apr 17, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Read first time, passed on file. H.J. 953 .
  6. Apr 17, 2025House
    Message from Senate. H.J. 952 .
  7. Apr 17, 2025House
    Withdrawn. H.J. 988 .
  8. Apr 17, 2025House
    Withdrawn. H.J. 988 .
  9. Apr 16, 2025Senate
    Immediate message. S.J. 816 .
  10. Apr 16, 2025SenateFloor
    Passed Senate , yeas 47, nays 0. S.J. 816 .
  11. Apr 16, 2025SenateFloor
    Amendment S-3106 filed, adopted. S.J. 816 .
  12. Apr 16, 2025SenateFloor
    Amendment S-3103 filed, adopted. S.J. 816 .
  13. Apr 14, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, placed on Ways and Means calendar. H.J. 931 .
  14. Apr 14, 2025Senate
    Placed on Ways and Means calendar. S.J. 762 .
  15. Apr 14, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 1012 .
  16. Apr 10, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Placed on calendar.
  17. Apr 10, 2025Senate
    Committee report, recommending passage. S.J. 759 .
  18. Apr 10, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  19. Apr 10, 2025Senate
    Subcommittee Meeting: 04/10/2025 8:30AM Senate Lounge.
  20. Apr 9, 2025House
    Committee vote: Yeas, 24. Nays, 0. Excused, 1. H.J. 924 .
  21. Apr 9, 2025House
    Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 923 .
  22. Apr 8, 2025Senate
    Subcommittee: Rowley, Dotzler, and Koelker. S.J. 736 .
  23. Apr 8, 2025House
    Subcommittee: Jones, Jacoby and Kaufmann. H.J. 918 .
  24. Apr 7, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Ways and Means. S.J. 698 .
  25. Apr 2, 2025Senate
    Committee report, approving bill. S.J. 678 .
  26. Apr 2, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Introduced, placed on Appropriations calendar. S.J. 678 .
  27. Apr 2, 2025Senate
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 619 . S.J. 678 .
  28. Apr 1, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Ways and Means. H.J. 875 .
  29. Apr 1, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 982 .
  30. Mar 27, 2025House
    Committee vote: Yeas, 25. Nays, 0. H.J. 869 .
  31. Mar 27, 2025House
    Committee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 868 .
  32. Mar 26, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  33. Mar 26, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/26/2025 12:00PM RM 304.
  34. Mar 24, 2025House
    Subcommittee: Sorensen, Mohr, G. and Zabner. H.J. 791 .
  35. Mar 20, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  36. Mar 19, 2025Senate
    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/20/2025 8:00AM Senate Lounge.
  37. Mar 13, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Appropriations. H.J. 640 .
  38. Mar 13, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 957 .
  39. Mar 12, 2025Senate
    Subcommittee: Kraayenbrink, Bousselot, and Knox. S.J. 507 .
  40. Mar 11, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to Appropriations. S.J. 480 .
  41. Mar 10, 2025Senate
    Committee report, approving bill. S.J. 475 .
  42. Mar 10, 2025SenateIntroduced
    Introduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 463 .
  43. Mar 6, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 591 .
  44. Mar 5, 2025House
    Committee vote: Yeas, 17. Nays, 0. Excused, 4. H.J. 553 .
  45. Mar 5, 2025House
    Committee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 553 .
  46. Mar 4, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
  47. Mar 4, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee recommends passage.
  48. Feb 26, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2025 12:00PM Room 315.
  49. Feb 26, 2025House
    Subcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2025 7:30AM House Lounge.
  50. Feb 25, 2025Iowa Legislature
    Subcommittee: Webster, Driscoll, and Wahls.
  51. Feb 25, 2025Iowa LegislatureIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Local Government.
  52. Feb 24, 2025House
    Subcommittee: Jones, Wheeler and Zabner. H.J. 420 .
  53. Feb 24, 2025HouseIntroduced
    Introduced, referred to Local Government. H.J. 419 .

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

2 patterns noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Establishment of Comprehensive Appraiser and Umpire Licensing

The bill creates an entirely new regulatory framework under chapter 522F for licensing and overseeing property appraisers and umpires, filling a prior regulatory gap.

Iowa Insurance Division
financial connection100% confidence

Automatic Annual Disaster Appropriation

Establishes a permanent annual appropriation of 10% of the maximum balance of the Iowa economic emergency fund for disaster response upon governor proclamation.

Department of Management

Connected Entities

Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and 7 more
OrganizationDepartment of Homeland Security and Emergency Management“State department controlling the natural hazard mitigation revolving loan fund a”Map →
otherRobert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act“Federal act providing disaster relief and emergency assistance.”Map →
otherAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009“Federal act providing funds that may be used in permitted manners.”Map →
OrganizationIowa Insurance Division“Division regulating insurance adjusters, appraisers, umpires, and licensing.”Map →
OrganizationEconomic Development Authority“Authority approving and issuing state disaster recovery new housing grants and m”Map →
OrganizationIowa Finance Authority“Authority cooperating in the natural hazard mitigation program, disaster recover”Map →
otherSafe Drinking Water Act“Federal act referenced for loan agreements.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Management“Receives annual appropriations from the Iowa economic emergency fund for disaste”Map →
otherClean Water Act“Federal act referenced for loan agreements.”Map →
OrganizationFederal Emergency Management Agency“Federal agency involved in capitalization grants and disaster relief under the S”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.iowa.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance90
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy45
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz35
    Current news / social attention level

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