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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate File 514 Mandates Temporary Joint Physical Care in Divorce Proceedings
Last action · January 22, 2026: Subcommittee recommends passage.
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What This Bill Would Do
Senate File 514 requires courts to award temporary of a child to both parties during the pendency of a dissolution proceeding, unless a exists against awarding physical care to one parent or the court finds joint physical care inappropriate by a .
Parents undergoing divorce proceedings will face a legal presumption favoring shared temporary physical custody of their children while the case is pending, requiring judges to explicitly state statutory reasons if they rule against joint care.
- Senate File 514 originated in the Senate Committee on Judiciary as a successor to SF 294 during the 91st General Assembly of Iowa. context
- Temporary custody orders in Iowa dissolution proceedings govern child placement and visitation rights while a divorce case is actively pending before a final decree is issued. context
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.
parents involved in dissolution proceedings
Parties undergoing a dissolution proceeding are subject to a mandatory requirement for temporary joint physical care unless specific exceptions are met.
noncustodial parent
Temporary custody orders must provide for a minimum visitation schedule to encourage compliance with visitation orders.
Key Facts
- Courts must order temporary joint physical care of a child to both parties during the pendency of an original custody proceeding.
- A temporary order for custody must provide for a minimum visitation schedule with the noncustodial parent to encourage compliance, unless not in the best interest of the child.
- The mandate for temporary joint physical care applies unless a rebuttable presumption exists against awarding physical care to one of the parties.
- If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that joint physical care is inappropriate, it must cite reasons using the factors listed in section 598.41, subsection 3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Senate File 514 require courts to do during temporary custody proceedings?
What happens if the court decides joint physical care is inappropriate?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
28 actions- Jan 22, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Jan 20, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 01/22/2026 12:30PM RM 103.
- Jan 16, 2026HouseSubcommittee: Thomson, C., Lawler and Wessel-Kroeschell. H.J. 121 .
- Dec 31, 2025Iowa Legislature* * * * * END OF 2025 ACTIONS * * * * *
- May 15, 2025HouseRereferred to Judiciary. H.J. 1222 .
- Apr 10, 2025HousePlaced on calendar under unfinished business. H.J. 928 .
Show 22 earlier actions
- Apr 7, 2025HouseCommittee amendment H-1218 filed. H.J. 903 .
- Apr 7, 2025HousePlaced on calendar. H.J. 902 .
- Apr 2, 2025HouseCommittee Vote: Yeas, 20. Nays, 0. Excused, 1. H.J. 902 .
- Apr 2, 2025HouseCommittee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 902 .
- Apr 1, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Mar 27, 2025HouseSubcommittee Meeting: 04/01/2025 8:15AM House Lounge 2.
- Mar 25, 2025HouseSubcommittee: Holt, Wessel-Kroeschell and Wheeler. H.J. 813 .
- Mar 18, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 717 .
- Mar 18, 2025HouseMessage from Senate. H.J. 680 .
- Mar 18, 2025SenateImmediate message. S.J. 562 .
- Mar 18, 2025SenateFloorPassed Senate , yeas 35, nays 13. S.J. 561 .
- Mar 5, 2025SenateCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 514 . S.J. 425 .
- Mar 5, 2025SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 425 .
- Mar 5, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 417 .
- Mar 4, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Mar 3, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2025 8:00AM RM 102.
- Feb 27, 2025HouseSubcommittee: Thomson, C., Lawler and Wessel-Kroeschell. H.J. 464 .
- Feb 27, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 461 .
- Feb 19, 2025Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Feb 17, 2025SenateSubcommittee Meeting: 02/19/2025 11:00AM Senate Lounge.
- Feb 17, 2025SenateSubcommittee: Evans, Dickey, and Petersen. S.J. 282 .
- Feb 12, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 254 .
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.
Successor Legislation
Senate File 514 was introduced as a successor to SF 294, indicating ongoing legislative refinement on temporary child custody orders.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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