House File 2215 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2215 BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 553) A BILL FOR An Act relating to natural resources, including office 1 locations of the director of natural resources, state park 2 user fee pilot programs, the delegation of powers and duties 3 concerning state preserves, and age requirements for hunting 4 deer with pistols or revolvers. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 5519HV (1) 91 sb/js

H.F. 2215 Section 1. Section 455A.4, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code 1 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 h. Maintain an office at or near the state capitol complex, 3 which is office shall be open at all reasonable times for the 4 conduct of public business. 5 Sec. 2. Section 456A.14, Code 2026, is amended to read as 6 follows: 7 456A.14 Temporary appointments —— peace officer status. 8 The director may appoint temporary officers for a period 9 not to exceed six months and may adopt minimum physical, 10 educational, mental, and moral requirements for the temporary 11 officers. Chapter 80B does not apply to the temporary 12 officers. Temporary officers have all the powers of peace 13 officers in the enforcement of this chapter and chapters 321G , 14 321I , 456B , 461A , 461B , 462A , 462B , 465C , 481A , 481B , 482 , 15 483A , 484A , and 484B , sections 455A.14A and 455A.14B , and the 16 trespass laws. 17 Sec. 3. Section 465C.8, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, 18 is amended to read as follows: 19 The department commission shall have the following powers 20 and duties with respect to this chapter : 21 Sec. 4. Section 465C.9, Code 2026, is amended to read as 22 follows: 23 465C.9 Articles of dedication. 24 1. The public agency or private owner shall complete 25 articles of dedication on forms approved by the department 26 commission . When the articles of dedication have been approved 27 by the governor, the department commission shall record them 28 with the county recorder for the county or counties in which 29 the area is located. 30 2. The articles of dedication may contain restrictions 31 on development, sale, transfer, method of management, 32 public access, and commercial or other use, and may contain 33 such other provisions as may be necessary to further the 34 purposes of this chapter . They The articles may define 35 -1- LSB 5519HV (1) 91 sb/js 1/ 5

H.F. 2215 the respective jurisdictions of the owner or operating 1 agency and the department commission . They The articles may 2 provide procedures to be applied in case of violation of the 3 dedication. They The articles may recognize reversionary 4 rights. They The articles may vary in provisions from one 5 preserve to another in accordance with differences in relative 6 conditions. 7 Sec. 5. Section 465C.10, Code 2026, is amended to read as 8 follows: 9 465C.10 When dedicated as a preserve. 10 An area shall become a preserve when it has been approved 11 by the department commission for dedication as a preserve, 12 whether in public or private ownership, formally dedicated as a 13 preserve within the system by a public agency or private owner , 14 and designated by the governor as a preserve. 15 Sec. 6. Section 465C.11, Code 2026, is amended to read as 16 follows: 17 465C.11 Area held in trust. 18 1. An area designated as a preserve within the system is 19 hereby declared put to its highest, best, and most important 20 use for public benefit. It shall be held in trust and shall 21 not be alienated except to another public use upon a finding 22 by the department commission of imperative and unavoidable 23 public necessity and with the approval of the commission, the 24 general assembly by concurrent resolution , and the governor. 25 The department’s commission’s interest or interests in any 26 area designated as a preserve shall not be taken under the 27 condemnation statutes of this state without such a finding of 28 imperative and unavoidable public necessity by the department 29 commission , and with the consent of the commission, the general 30 assembly by concurrent resolution , and the governor. 31 2. The department commission , with the approval of the 32 governor, may enter into amendments to any articles of 33 dedication upon its finding that such amendment will not 34 permit an impairment, disturbance, or development of the area 35 -2- LSB 5519HV (1) 91 sb/js 2/ 5

H.F. 2215 inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter . 1 3. Before the department commission shall make a finding 2 of imperative and unavoidable public necessity, or shall 3 enter into any amendment to articles of dedication, the 4 department commission shall provide notice of such proposal 5 and opportunity for any person to be heard. Such notice shall 6 be published at least once in a newspaper with a general 7 circulation in the county or counties wherein the area directly 8 affected is situated, and mailed within ten days of such 9 published notice to all persons who have requested notice of 10 all such proposed actions. Each notice shall set forth the 11 substance of the proposed action and describe, with or without 12 legal description, the area affected, and shall set forth a 13 place and time not less than sixty days thence for all persons 14 desiring to be heard to have reasonable opportunity to be heard 15 prior to the finding of the department commission . 16 Sec. 7. Section 481A.48, subsection 5, Code 2026, is amended 17 to read as follows: 18 5. The commission shall establish one or more pistol or 19 revolver seasons for hunting deer as separate firearm seasons 20 or to coincide with one or more other firearm deer hunting 21 seasons. Any pistol or revolver with a barrel length of at 22 least four inches and firing straight wall or other centerfire 23 ammunition propelling an expanding-type bullet with a maximum 24 diameter of no less than three hundred fifty thousandths of 25 one inch and no larger than five hundred thousandths of one 26 inch and with a published or calculated muzzle energy of five 27 hundred foot pounds or higher is legal for hunting deer during 28 the pistol or revolver seasons. The commission shall adopt 29 rules to allow black powder pistols or revolvers for hunting 30 deer. The rules may limit types of projectiles. A person who 31 is twenty years of age or less under the age of eighteen shall 32 not hunt deer with a pistol or revolver unless that person is 33 accompanied and under direct supervision throughout the hunt 34 by a responsible person with a valid hunting license who is at 35 -3- LSB 5519HV (1) 91 sb/js 3/ 5

H.F. 2215 least twenty-one years of age, with the consent of a parent, 1 guardian, or spouse who is at least twenty-one years of age, 2 pursuant to section 724.22, subsection 4 . The responsible 3 person with a valid hunting license who is at least twenty-one 4 years of age shall be responsible for the conveyance of the 5 pistol or revolver while the pistol or revolver is not actively 6 being used for hunting. A person possessing a prohibited 7 pistol or revolver while hunting deer commits a scheduled 8 violation under section 805.8B, subsection 3 , paragraph “h” , 9 subparagraph (5). 10 Sec. 8. Section 805.8C, subsection 14, Code 2026, is amended 11 by striking the subsection. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill relates to natural resources, including office 16 locations for the director of the department of natural 17 resources, state park user fee pilot programs, the delegation 18 of powers and duties concerning state preserves, and age 19 requirements for hunting deer with pistols or revolvers. 20 The bill removes references to the Lake Manawa and Waubonsie 21 state park user fee pilot programs that repealed by their own 22 terms on December 31, 2025. 23 Under current law, the director of the department of natural 24 resources (DNR) must maintain an office at the state capitol. 25 The bill allows the office to be at or near the state capitol. 26 Under current law, DNR has certain powers and duties 27 regarding state preserves. The bill transfers all these powers 28 and duties to the natural resource commission. 29 Under current law, a person who is 20 years of age of less 30 is not allowed to hunt deer with a pistol or revolver unless 31 accompanied by person who is at least 21 years of age with 32 a valid hunting license and with the consent of a parent, 33 guardian, or spouse who is at least 21 years of age. The bill 34 changes the age threshold from 20 years of age or less to under 35 -4- LSB 5519HV (1) 91 sb/js 4/ 5