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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate File 549 Creates Permit System and Oversight Committee for Boat Liveries on Des Moines River Lakes
Last action · January 15, 2026: Subcommittee: Evans, Costello, and Staed. S.J. 107 .
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What This Bill Would Do
Iowa Senate File 549 requires boat liveries operating on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes along the Des Moines River to obtain state-issued watercraft permits. The measure establishes a special three-member committee to determine permit allocations by unanimous consent and grants the Natural Resource Commission rule-making authority.
operators on specific federal lakes face new operating restrictions, permit limits, and mandatory oversight by a legislative-executive committee, with rules applying retroactively to January 1, 2025.
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.
Boat livery owners
Boat livery owners must apply for and obtain specific watercraft permits through a committee and the department before renting or leasing boats on regulated lakes.
Watercraft users
Users of rental watercraft on regulated lakes are subject to safety rules recommended by the committee and adopted by the commission.
Key Facts
- The bill applies to boat liveries and boat clubs providing watercraft for use on lakes operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers on the Des Moines River.
- Boat livery owners are prohibited from renting, leasing, or allowing watercraft use without sufficient permits issued under this section.
- A three-member committee consisting of a senator, a representative, and a department member must unanimously determine the number of permits issued to each applicant.
- Permits issued to boat liveries are valid for two years and may be revoked at the committee's discretion.
Show all 8 facts
- The committee must meet annually before April 1 to review permit counts, requests, and rules, and may hold additional meetings at its discretion.
- The Natural Resource Commission must adopt, and the department must enforce, rules established under this section and by the committee.
- Watercraft registered in another state but used on the regulated waters are also subject to the bill's requirements.
- The legislation applies retroactively to watercraft rentals and leases on the specified lakes on and after January 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which water bodies and operations are covered under Senate File 549?
Who decides how many permits each boat livery receives?
How long are the boat permits valid?
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
10 actions- Jan 15, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Evans, Costello, and Staed. S.J. 107 .
- Jan 15, 2026Iowa Legislature* * * * * END OF 2025 ACTIONS * * * * *
- Jun 16, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Natural Resources and Environment. S.J. 1057 .
- Mar 6, 2025SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 439 .
- Mar 6, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 430 .
- Mar 5, 2025Iowa LegislatureCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as [].
Show 4 earlier actions
- Mar 5, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Mar 4, 2025SenateSubcommittee Meeting: 03/05/2025 12:00PM Senate Lounge.
- Mar 3, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee: Westrich, De Witt, and Trone Garriott.
- Mar 3, 2025Iowa LegislatureIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Natural Resources and Environment.
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.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of Specialized Multi-Agency Committee
The bill bypasses standard agency-only rule administration by creating a specialized three-member committee drawn from both legislative chambers and the department to determine permit caps by unanimous consent.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How 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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