Summary — HF 937 (as amended by H-1183 and H-1196)
Status & procedural timeline
- Introduced: March 12, 2025; referred to Judiciary; subcommittee (Schultz, Blake, Bousselot).
- House action: Amendments H-1183 and H-1196 filed (Mar 25). H-1196 adopted 96–0 (Mar 26). H-1183 adopted (Mar 26). Passed House 95–1 (Mar 26). Explanation of vote recorded Apr 22, 2025.
- Includes an immediate‑effect provision (the bill states it “takes effect upon enactment”).
Main purpose
HF 937 revises administrative procedures relating to certification, suspension, and revocation of law enforcement and reserve peace officer certifications, clarifies evidentiary and records access rights, and expands confidentiality protections for peer support counselors and others involved in crisis intervention.
Key substantive provisions
1. Revisions to law enforcement certification procedures (Code chapter 80B)
- Amends section 80B.13A (revocation/suspension process):
- Defines “final” to mean all appeals/grievances/civil service remedies exhausted.
- Requires an employing agency’s recommendation for revocation/suspension to be in writing and state reasons, findings, agency action, and that the agency’s action is final.
- Replaces language referencing “good cause” with “just cause” in at least one context.
- New subsections added:
- No grounds for revocation may be maintained except those expressly provided in 80B.13A; any pending actions on other grounds must be dismissed immediately.
- Rules of evidence will apply in contested cases involving suspension/revocation of certification.
- If certification was suspended by council order or settlement, the officer need not reapply for reinstatement after suspension ends.
- Iowa Law Enforcement Academy must promptly provide complete investigative reports and records to the officer or the officer’s counsel upon written request.
- Section 80B.11, subsection 1, paragraph h is struck (removal of that paragraph from the code).
- Confidentiality for peer support and crisis intervention (Code section 622.10(9))
- Expands the statute protecting confidential communications to explicitly cover:
- Peer support group counselors and individuals present for individual or group crisis interventions.
- Communications obtained from officers or civilian employees of law enforcement, emergency management, emergency medical services, or fire departments by reason of the counselor’s role or presence.
- Broadens definitions:
- “Officer” is defined to include certified law enforcement officers and a range of public safety personnel (firefighters, EMTs/paramedics, corrections/detention officers, jailers, probation/parole officers, public safety telecommunicators/dispatchers, emergency management coordinators, and any other officers certified by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy employed by city, county, or state).
- “Peer support group counselor” may be a law enforcement officer, firefighter, civilian employee of a law enforcement agency or fire department, or a nonemployee designated by agency leadership who has training to provide emotional and moral support after incidents arising in the course of official duties.
Who is affected
- Certified law enforcement officers and reserve peace officers in Iowa, including current/former employees facing disciplinary, suspension, or revocation proceedings.
- Employing agencies that recommend certification actions.
- The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (record‑keeping and disclosure obligations).
- Peer support counselors, crisis intervention participants, and civilian public safety employees whose communications may be protected from compelled testimony.
Potential impacts and practical effects
- Narrows permissible grounds for revocation to those enumerated in statute and requires dismissal of other pending matters, potentially terminating certain outstanding proceedings.
- Strengthens procedural protections for officers in contested cases by applying rules of evidence and mandating access to investigative records for defense counsel.
- Clarifies confidentiality protections for peer support interactions across a broader set of public safety roles, limiting testimonial disclosure of such communications.
- Removes a prior statutory paragraph (80B.11(1)(h)), and adjusts language around cause for separation (e.g., “just cause”), which may affect administrative interpretations.
Sections amended (Code 2025): 80B.11, 80B.13A, and 622.10 (subsection 9), plus related title/Effective Date language.
