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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate Bill 656 Allows Homestead Owners to Temporarily Opt Out of Solid Waste Collection and Fees
Last action · January 21, 2026: Subcommittee recommends passage.
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What This Bill Would Do
Eligible homestead property owners in Iowa may temporarily opt out of county- or city-provided for up to five consecutive months, resulting in the suspension of related service fees. Applicants must submit a completed form at least eight weeks before the begins, and local governments may charge an application fee of up to $5 per month. Providing false information on the application is a civil offense subject to penalties up to $750 for a first violation and $1,000 for repeat offenses.
Property owners receiving a can temporarily suspend trash collection services and avoid paying associated municipal fees during periods they do not need the service, such as extended travel, while local governments must process these applications and refund denied fees within 30 days.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
residential real property owners
Property owners receiving a homestead credit gain the option to temporarily suspend municipal solid waste collection services and associated fees for up to five months.
counties and cities
Local governments are required to process opt-out applications, suspend service fees during approved periods, and refund denied application fees within thirty days.
Key Facts
- Residential real property owners receiving a homestead credit under chapter 425 may opt out of county- or city-provided or contracted solid waste collection and disposal services.
- The requested opt-out period cannot exceed five consecutive months.
- Applications must be submitted to the county or city at least eight weeks prior to the start of the opt-out period.
- Counties and cities must approve applications unless incorrectly filed or submitted outside the required submission periods.
Show all 10 facts
- Any fee charged by the county or city relating to the services is suspended during the opt-out period.
- Property owners may file only one application to opt out of services for each twelve-month period.
- Counties and cities may impose an application fee not to exceed $5 for each month of the requested opt-out period.
- If an application is denied, the application fee must be refunded to the applicant within thirty days.
- Property owners who knowingly provide false information on an application commit a civil offense punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $750 for each violation, or up to $1,000 for a repeat offense.
- If property ownership changes during the opt-out period, the original applicant must file an amended application to initiate services for the new owner, or the new owner may file an application with proof of ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to opt out of solid waste collection services?
How far in advance must an application be submitted?
What happens to the service fees while opted out?
What is the penalty for providing false information on the application?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
19 actions- Jan 21, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Jan 20, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 01/21/2026 11:00AM Room 217 Conference Room.
- Jan 12, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Bousselot, Green, and Quirmbach. S.J. 41 .
- Jan 12, 2026Iowa Legislature* * * * * END OF 2025 ACTIONS * * * * *
- Jun 16, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Ways and Means. S.J. 1058 .
- May 9, 2025SenateCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 656 . S.J. 956 .
Show 13 earlier actions
- May 9, 2025SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 956 .
- May 9, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on Ways and Means calendar. S.J. 955 .
- Mar 26, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Mar 25, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 03/26/2025 2:30PM Room 315.
- Mar 17, 2025SenateSubcommittee: Bousselot, Dawson, and Quirmbach. S.J. 552 .
- Mar 11, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Ways and Means. S.J. 480 .
- Mar 10, 2025SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 475 .
- Mar 10, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 463 .
- Mar 6, 2025Iowa LegislatureCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 589 .
- Mar 4, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
- Mar 3, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2025 11:30AM Room 217 Conference Room.
- Feb 26, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee: Webster, Driscoll, and Weiner.
- Feb 26, 2025Iowa LegislatureIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Local Government.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance55How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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