Government : New laws: Child labor, parental rights and state reorganization bills in effect

By ROBIN OPSAHL

Teenagers can work longer hours, consumers can buy raw milk and farmers will be able to kill nuisance animals on their land without state permission starting Saturday.

July 1 is the date for most new laws to take effect, including Gov. Kim Reynolds' agency reorganization plan, limits on the Iowa auditor's access to information and new requirements for food assistance. Some measures passed earlier in the session, like a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, gender-based restrictions on school bathrooms and Iowa's Education Savings Account program, have already taken effect.

While the 2024 legislative session will not start until January, lawmakers and conservative advocates have talked about the Iowa Legislature reconvening for a special session on abortion following the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling to keep the injunction blocking the state's 2018 six-week abortion ban.

The governor and Republican legislative leaders have not announced any plans yet, Reynolds said following the court decision that the GOP Statehouse team was "reviewing our options" for moving forward.

Here are some of the new laws taking effect Saturday:

Government reorganization: The governor's massive government reorganization plan takes effect July 1, but the governor said agencies would begin the process of consolidation from Iowa's current system of 37 executive-level cabinet agencies to 16 when the law was signed in April, with plans to have those changes in place by enactment.

How many agencies will be able to rollout their new structures by the deadline remains unannounced, but Reynolds said the consolidation processes will follow the example of Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services' merger in 2022, that combined Iowa's public health and human services departments.

State auditor: Iowa auditor of state Rob Sand, the only Democrat to hold statewide elected office in Iowa, will be restricted from obtaining personal information when performing an audit under Senate File 478. The law gives exceptions in investigations of embezzlement, theft, fraud or other significant financial irregularities, but Sand and Democrats say the language removing the auditor's ability to issue subpoenas to government offices and agencies for not turning over requested information, instead settling those disputes through a board of arbitration, will put billions in federal funding at risk.

Caucuses: While Democrats are not sure of the impacts of House File 716, the measure is intended to require Iowa political parties to meet in person at precinct caucuses to select their delegates as a part of the presidential nominating process. Republican lawmakers passed the measure following the Iowa Democratic Party's plan to move to a mail-in caucus system.

Property taxes: Some components of the property tax reform law signed in early May went into effect immediately, while others will take effect July 1 this year and in 2024. The new law will provide an estimated $100 million in tax relief to Iowa property owners by setting new maximum property tax levy rates for cities and counties, requiring new transparency measures and allowing seniors and veterans to take new property tax exemptions.

Chinese investments: Entities will no longer be able to invest public funds in companies owned or controlled by the Chinese government under Senate File 418. Firms investing taxpayer dollars will be required to consult a list of scrutinized companies involved with the People's Republic of China, and will follow set restrictions on investments in these companies.

Child labor: A divisive law allowing Iowa minors to work in previously restricted fields through training programs will go into effect Saturday. Senate File 542 will allow minors ages 14 to 17 to work more hours per day, and allow 16- and 17-year-olds to serve and sell alcohol at restaurants until kitchens close. The measure also adds new requirements on employers with minor workers serving alcohol, including sexual harassment prevention training and having two adult employees physically present for businesses where minors serve alcohol.

Asset tests: Senate File 494's enactment means Iowans receiving SNAP benefits will go through asset and identity tests to remain eligible for public assistance. To remain eligible, Iowans must not exceed certain income limits as well as a $15,000 cap for assets, with exemptions for the value of a home, car, and $10,000 of a second household car. The Legislative Services Agency estimated in March that 8,000 Medicaid recipients and 2,800 SNAP recipients may be removed due to the law.

Trucking liability limits: Noneconomic damages in lawsuits against against trucking companies whose employee caused injury, death or other damages are capped at $5 million in Iowa under Senate File 228, a move proponents say will bring down insurance rates for trucking companies and stop "bogus" lawsuits from proceeding.

Parental rights: Some aspects of Senate File 496, a "parental rights" law, have already gone into effect, but others are taking effect Saturday for implementation in the upcoming school year. The measure requires school libraries to remove books with written or visual depictions of sex acts, with an exemption for religious texts, in addition to prohibiting teachers from providing instruction and materials involving "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" to K-6 students.

The law also requires schools seek written parental permission if a child asks to use a name or pronoun differing from what they were assigned at birth, and says school staff cannot knowingly "false or misleading" information on a child's gender identity to their parents.

Teachers and administrators in violation of these rules would be subject to a Board of Educational Examiners disciplinary hearing for their second and subsequent offenses under the law.

School requirements: A top-line education measure, Senate File 391, will make changes on teaching and curriculum requirements for schools struggling with staff shortages. Heading into the 2023-24 school year, the state is removing curriculum requirements on foreign language and "financial literacy" classes, in addition to allowing teachers to instruct multiple sequential subjects simultaneously in a classroom, providing more access for community college instructors to teach high school classes and for public librarians to work as school librarians.

Teacher accreditation: Teachers credentialed out-of-state will be able to more easily get their Iowa credentials under House File 614.

Additionally, a measure changing the makeup of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners - the body overseeing teacher accreditation - will take effect Saturday, requiring more parents to be on the board.

Teacher empowerment: In upcoming school years, schools must allow for suspensions, changes in classroom or potentially expulsion as policy options for dealing with students repeatedly cause problems in the classroom. House File 604 also requires schools inform teachers about their rights when coming into physical contact with a violent student, and allows teachers to make a complaint to the Ombudsman's Office on classroom violence.

Rural emergency hospitals: Senate File 75, a measure creating a state licensure process, for rural Iowa health care providers applying for the "Rural Emergency Hospital" (REH) program to receive federal funding will take effect. Hospitals using this designation must meet specific requirements, such as maintaining a 24/7 emergency room and staying open for outpatient treatment but no longer providing inpatient services.

Midwifery: The governor also signed a law establishing a midwife licensure process into law that passed this session. Though some medical organizations disapproved of House File 265, arguing the licensing process could potentially mislead Iowans on the medical credentials of midwives, supporters say the measure will help Iowa take on the state's maternal health care shortage.

Nursing home reimbursements: The state's moratorium on new nursing facilities under House File 685 goes into effect Saturday, as nursing homes across the state face closures and a backlog of complaints. The measure also increases Medicaid payers' ability to recover funds and reimbursements from other health insurers, and establishes a higher tax on managed care organizations' premiums to allow the state to collect more in federal reimbursement funds.

Fentanyl: House File 595, Reynolds' proposal to tackle the fentanyl crisis goes, will raise penalties for manufacture, distribution and possession of drugs containing fentanyl, as well as raise sentences further for cases resulting in injury or death due to drug use. The measure also gives first responders and organizations like substance abuse rehab centers expanded access to naloxone, a drug used to prevent overdose deaths.

Subpoena limits: House File 644 is a law aimed at stopping "fishing expeditions" via subpoena - a harassment tactic where criminal defendants obtain large quantities of potential victims or witness' personal information in an effort to discourage them from testifying or reporting crimes. Going forward, defendants must present a compelling need for the evidence in documents obtained by subpoena, and the law sets new limits on access to documents containing others' private information.

Nuisance animals: Starting Saturday, farmers will be allowed to kill animals including raccoons, coyotes and skunks through Senate File 358 without state permission. Those seeking to kill nuisance animals in city limits and non-farm properties, and for cases involving endangered species, would still be required to get authorization.

Raw milk: Iowans will be able to buy and sell unpasteurized milk beginning Saturday. Senate File 315 does require raw milk producers maintain bacteria and antibiotic records, but Democrats and medical experts said there are still risks of infections when consuming raw milk.

Correction: A previous version of this story said the "teacher empowerment" bill would establish a three-strike system for students who repeatedly cause problems in the classroom. The bill was amended requiring suspension, expulsion and classroom changes are options in school's disciplinary policy, but does not put in place a specific system.