Any member can introduce · Judiciary is a natural first ask

Who can introduce this bill

A bill reaches the Iowa Legislature only when a Representative or a Senator agrees to sponsor it — to introduce the draft, ask for a subcommittee hearing, and carry it. Any member of either chamber can do that. The House and Senate Judiciary committees are a natural first ask because procedure bills that amend Iowa Code chapters 664A and 236 typically land there.

Not legal advice. This page is about a proposed change in the law. It is not advice about any order, any case, or any person. An order already signed stays in force until the court that issued it changes it. Do not contact a protected person while an order forbids it.

Ask your own members first

Start with the Representative and Senator who represent your address. Find them at the Legislature’s legislator finder. If yours are not on Judiciary, still ask them to sponsor or cosponsor the six-section draft and to refer it to Judiciary. A bill needs a floor sponsor; committee membership is helpful, not required.

What to hand them

Primary ask: sponsor the six-section draft — introduce it and carry it. Hand them:

• the sponsor ask kit (about two Letter pages),
• the subcommittee oral outline and one-page leave-behind,
• the model bill text for LSA drafting,
• the 2027 session path so staff know the window.

Open sponsor ask kit Testimony leave-behind Sample message Draft bill text

HF 523, sine die, and the 2027 session

The 2026 regular session adjourned sine die on May 3, 2026. House File 523 expanded emergency civil access under § 236.6 and takes effect July 1, 2026; this draft leaves that section alone. The next regular session opens in January 2027. Committee membership below is what the Legislature publishes for the 91st General Assembly as of the fetch date on this page. The 92nd General Assembly will reorganize committees when the new session begins — confirm before you write.

Iowa Judiciary committees · 91st General Assembly

Source: legis.iowa.gov/committees · Senate Judiciary groupID 697 · House Judiciary groupID 689 · fetched November 3, 2026. Names, party, district, and role as published on those committee pages. County used for the Central Iowa filter comes from the official chamber member lists (County column), not from guessing by district number. Capitol phone, when shown, is the number on each member’s official legislator page (chamber switchboards are common). Links go only to legis.iowa.gov. No emails are listed here.

Senate Judiciary · 19 members

Official page: Judiciary (S)

House Judiciary · 20 members

Official page: Judiciary (H)

Ask a legislator to sponsor Sponsor ask kit 2027 session path Draft bill text