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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Senate Passes Regulations for Preneed Sellers, Funeral Sales Agents, and Government Cemeteries
Last action · May 15, 2026: Signed by Governor . H.J. 1167 .
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What This Bill Does
Iowa Senate File 2148 updates regulations governing preneed funeral and cemetery merchandise sellers, sales agents, and government-operated cemeteries. The bill modifies rules on trust fund interest withdrawals, sales agent licensing, consumer refunds, and the oversight powers of the insurance commissioner.
The measure alters how funeral and cemetery trust funds calculate inflation-based adjustments and refunds, changes licensing and renewal requirements for sales agents, and defines specific regulatory exemptions for government-operated cemeteries.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
preneed sellers
Preneed sellers are subject to updated rules regarding trust fund interest withdrawals, audit requirements, and sales agent designations.
sales agents
Sales agents must meet new designation requirements prior to licensure and pay an annual renewal fee to maintain an active license.
government cemeteries
Government-operated cemeteries are newly defined and explicitly excluded from perpetual care cemetery requirements.
Key Facts
- The bill modifies trust fund interest and income withdrawal rules to rely on the consumer price index for all urban consumers published by the United States Department of Labor.
- Applicants for a sales license must be designated by at least one preneed seller to sell, negotiate, or solicit purchase agreements.
- Sales agent licenses expire annually on April 30 and require payment of a renewal fee.
- Government cemeteries are explicitly defined as cemeteries owned, operated, or controlled by a governmental subdivision (city, county, or township).
Show all 6 facts
- Government cemeteries are excluded from the definition of perpetual care cemeteries and from the application of subchapter VIII of Code chapter 523I.
- The bill repeals Code sections 523A.502A and 523I.401 relating to sales agent annual reporting and neglected cemeteries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is inflation calculated for trust fund adjustments under this bill?
What is a government cemetery under the new law?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
33 actions- May 15, 2026HouseEnrolledSigned by Governor . H.J. 1167 .
- May 6, 2026HouseReported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 1164 .
- Apr 22, 2026HouseMessage from Senate. H.J. 977 .
- Apr 22, 2026SenateImmediate message. S.J. 875 .
- Apr 22, 2026SenateFloorPassed Senate , yeas 44, nays 0. S.J. 874 .
- Apr 15, 2026Iowa LegislaturePlaced on calendar.
Show 27 earlier actions
- Apr 15, 2026SenateCommittee report, recommending passage. S.J. 810 .
- Apr 13, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee: Taylor, Bousselot, and Dotzler.
- Apr 13, 2026SenateCommitteeReferred to Ways and Means. S.J. 773 .
- Mar 12, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Reichman, Bisignano, and Bousselot. S.J. 560 .
- Mar 9, 2026SenateIntroducedRead first time, referred to State Government. S.J. 494 .
- Mar 9, 2026HouseMessage from House. S.J. 494 .
- Mar 5, 2026HouseImmediate message. H.J. 601 .
- Mar 5, 2026HouseFloorPassed House , yeas 86, nays 0. H.J. 579 .
- Feb 19, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 349 .
- Feb 19, 2026Iowa LegislatureCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2634 .
- Feb 16, 2026HouseCommittee vote: Yeas, 22. Nays, 0. Excused, 1. H.J. 313 .
- Feb 16, 2026HouseCommittee report, recommending amendment and passage. H.J. 313 .
- Feb 11, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Feb 10, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
- Feb 9, 2026HouseSubcommittee Meeting: 02/10/2026 12:00PM House Lounge 2.
- Feb 9, 2026SenateSubcommittee Meeting: 02/11/2026 12:30PM Senate Lounge.
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Taylor, Bousselot, and Dotzler. S.J. 199 .
- Feb 2, 2026SenateCommitteeReferred to Ways and Means. S.J. 175 .
- Jan 29, 2026SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 172 .
- Jan 29, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 167 .
- Jan 28, 2026Iowa LegislatureCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2148 .
- Jan 27, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
- Jan 22, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 01/27/2026 10:00AM Room 217 Conference Room.
- Jan 21, 2026HouseSubcommittee: Wills, J., Kressig and Thomson, C.. H.J. 140 .
- Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Commerce. H.J. 138 .
- Jan 21, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee: Rowley, Bisignano, and Reichman.
- Jan 21, 2026Iowa LegislatureIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Commerce.
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.
Transition of Inflation Metrics
The legislation shifts the authority for determining inflation rates on trust funds and refunds from the insurance commissioner to published U.S. Department of Labor consumer price indices.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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