The Iowa legislature is currently considering the following family law related bills of interest in its 2004 session. Updates to individual bills will be posted from time to time as the legislative session progresses.
HF 2009 regarding social history information about adopted persons and their biological families.
HSB510, SSB 3027 and HF 2176 regarding abandonment of a child as a grounds for termination of parental rights.
HSB505 provides for the diversion of a portion of a noncustodial parent's child support obligation to a college savings plan.
HSB504 to provide for the sharing of student information with and involvement in school activities by both joint legal custodial parents.
HF 2020 to plan for relocation of the child support recovery unit within the department of revenue.
HF 2036 requires an adult pregnant woman seeking an abortion to file a petition in the district court requesting approval.
HF 2022 provides that an action based on fraud relative to a judgment of distribution of marital assets may only be brought within one year of discovery by the party aggrieved.
HF 2024 directs the department of human services to Medicaid to juveniles who are considered inmates under the federal Social Security Act.
SJR 2002 is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Iowa Constitution Iowa regarding the validity and recognition of marriages (Also HJR 2003).
HSB 521 changes child support and dependent adult abuse provisions under the department of human services.
HSB 530 provides that a child endangerment offense resulting in the death of a child or minor, which does not require a showing of extreme indifference to human life, is a class "B" felony.
HF 2046 provides that in addition to recovery of the application fee paid by a recipient of child support services, the fee paid by the recipient for service of process may also be recovered from the person responsible for payment of child support
HF 2076 provides that under the medical support chapter, "insurer of the obligor" includes an insurer who provides a health benefit plan under which the obligor is covered and requires certain provisions in medical support orders.
HF 2078 provides that if paternity of a child born out of wedlock is established, in addition to the court establishing the parent's monthly support payment, the court may also order a postsecondary education subsidy.
HJR 2002 and SJR 2005 are joint resolutions petitioning the United States Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.
HSB 570 relates to confidentiality and liability provisions involving the child advocacy board and the programs and volunteers associated with the board.
HSB 605 relates to child abuse assessment requirements involving interviews of persons alleged to have committed child abuse and training of child protection workers.
HSB 614 relates to child protection confidentiality requirements involving the department of human services
SF 2088 provides a preference for out-of-home placement of children with relatives.
SF 2082 is the "Foster Parents Bill of Rights."
HF 2188 establishes the procedure and requirements for a covenant marriage.
HF 2209 amends Section 144.13A, subsection 2, as follows:
The state registrar shall charge the parent a separate fee established under section 144.46 for a certified copy of the certificate. The certified copy shall be mailed to the parent by the state registrar. Unless a biological parent declines the mailing or receipt of a certified copy, the mailing of a certified copy of the certificate to a biological parent shall not be precluded by the execution of a release of custody under chapter 600A, and a biological parent shall be provided with a certified copy of the certificate until such time as a final adoption decree has been issued under chapter 600.
HF 2211 provides for grandparent or other relative visitation under certain circumstances with a child adjudicated as a child in need of assistance.
SF 2100 establishes a child endangerment offense for permitting the presence of a child where a controlled substance manufacturing or product possession violation occurs, but the violation does not result in a serious injury to the child.
HF 2251 bill provides that the rights of marriage are not to be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups of persons. Additionally, a civil contract valid in any other state is not valid in this state. The bill is retroactively applicable to January 1, 1999.
HSB 621 revises the time period required for holding the initial permanency hearing for a child who is subject to an order for out-of-home placement, based upon the child's age.
HF 2203 directs the department of human services to implement five or more child welfare diversion and mediation pilot projects.
HF 2226 relates to hearings required under chapter 232, for the physical or mental examination or chemical dependency evaluation of a child alleged to be delinquent or a child in need of assistance. The bill explicitly provides that the court may also order a chemical dependency evaluation.
HF 2245 provides that for founded child abuse information, the child's name and disposition data are to become part of the child's permanent student record and are subject to information sharing under Code section 280.25.
The above information is courtesy of the Iowa State Bar Association's legislative committee. For daily updates on any particular bill, check the Iowa Legislature's web site.
