House File 937 - Reprinted HOUSE FILE 937 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 264) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 26, 2025 ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to certain administrative procedures involving 1 law enforcement officers, including the revocation or 2 suspension of law enforcement officer certification and 3 communications in professional confidence, and including 4 effective date provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 HF 937 (2) 91 as/js/md

H.F. 937 Section 1. Section 80B.11, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code 1 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph. 2 Sec. 2. Section 80B.13A, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 3 2025, is amended to read as follows: 4 a. “Final” means that all appeals through a grievance 5 procedure , civil service action, or other cause of action or 6 procedure available to the officer or civil service have been 7 exhausted. 8 Sec. 3. Section 80B.13A, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 9 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph. 10 Sec. 4. Section 80B.13A, subsection 3, paragraphs a and b, 11 Code 2025, are amended to read as follows: 12 a. For any other grounds authorized by rules adopted 13 pursuant to section 80B.11, subsection 1 , paragraph “h” , or 14 section 80D.4A The law enforcement officer or reserve peace 15 officer has been discharged for just cause from employment as a 16 law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer and the action 17 is final . 18 b. When an employing agency recommends to the council that 19 revocation or suspension would be appropriate with regard to a 20 current or former employee. A recommendation by an employing 21 agency must be in writing and set forth the reasons why the 22 action is being recommended, the findings of the employing 23 agency concerning the matter, the action taken by the employing 24 agency, and that the action by the agency is final The law 25 enforcement officer or reserve peace officer voluntarily quits 26 when disciplinary action was pending, under circumstances 27 warranting discharge or removal for just cause . 28 Sec. 5. Section 80B.13A, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 29 following new subsections: 30 NEW SUBSECTION . 7. No grounds for revocation actions 31 may be maintained other than as expressly provided in this 32 section. Any actions pending before the council on grounds 33 other than expressly provided for in this section shall be 34 immediately dismissed. The rules of evidence shall apply to a 35 -1- HF 937 (2) 91 as/js/md 1/ 3

H.F. 937 contested case involving the revocation or suspension of a law 1 enforcement officer’s or reserve peace officer’s certification. 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 8. If the law enforcement officer’s or 3 reserve peace officer’s certification was suspended pursuant 4 to an order of the council or settlement agreement, the 5 officer shall not be required to apply for reinstatement of the 6 officer’s certification upon completion of the suspension. 7 NEW SUBSECTION . 9. The academy shall promptly provide 8 copies of the complete investigative report and records 9 concerning the law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer 10 to the officer or the officer’s legal counsel upon written 11 request. 12 Sec. 6. Section 622.10, subsection 9, paragraph a, Code 13 2025, is amended to read as follows: 14 a. A peer support group counselor or individual present 15 for a individual or group crisis intervention who obtains 16 information from an officer or a civilian employee of a law 17 enforcement agency , emergency management agency, emergency 18 medical services agency, or fire department by reason of the 19 counselor’s capacity as a peer support group counselor or 20 an individual’s presence for a individual or group crisis 21 intervention shall not be allowed , in giving testimony, to 22 disclose any confidential communication properly entrusted 23 to the counselor or individual present for a group crisis 24 intervention by the officer or civilian employee while 25 receiving counseling or group crisis intervention including in 26 giving testimony . 27 Sec. 7. Section 622.10, subsection 9, paragraph c, 28 subparagraphs (1) and (2), Code 2025, are amended to read as 29 follows: 30 (1) “Officer” means a certified law enforcement officer, 31 fire fighter, emergency medical technician or medical provider , 32 paramedic, corrections officer, detention officer, jailer, 33 probation or parole officer, public safety telecommunicator, 34 dispatcher, emergency management coordinator under chapter 29C , 35 -2- HF 937 (2) 91 as/js/md 2/ 3

H.F. 937 or any other law enforcement officer certified by the Iowa law 1 enforcement academy and employed by a city, county, or state 2 agency. 3 (2) “Peer support group counselor” means a law enforcement 4 officer, fire fighter, civilian employee of a law enforcement 5 agency or fire department, or a nonemployee counselor who 6 has been designated as a peer support group counselor by a 7 sheriff, police chief, fire chief, or department head of a 8 law enforcement agency, fire department, or emergency medical 9 services agency and who has received training to provide 10 emotional and moral support and counseling to an officer or 11 group who needs those services as a result of an incident in 12 which the officer or group was involved while acting in the 13 officer’s or group’s official capacity. 14 Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate 15 importance, takes effect upon enactment. 16 -3- HF 937 (2) 91 as/js/md 3/ 3