HF 937 — A bill for an act relating to certain administrative procedures involving law enforcement officers, including the revocation or suspension of law enforcement officer certification and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions.

House File 937 - IntroducedReprinted 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 law enforcement officers, including the revocation or suspension of law enforcement officer certification.certification and communications in professional confidence, and including effective date provisions.

TLSBHF 2834HV937 (1)(2) 91 as/jsas/js/md H.F.

Section 80B.11, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph.

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2.

Section 80B.13A, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:

a.

“Final” means that all appeals through a grievance procedure, civil service action, or other cause of action or procedure available to the officer or civil service have been exhausted.

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3.

Section 80B.13A, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph.

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4.

For any other grounds authorized by rules adopted pursuant to section 80B.11, subsection 1, paragraph “h”, or section 80D.4A The law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer has been discharged for goodjust cause from employment as a law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer.officer and the action is final .

A recommendation by an employing agency must be in writing and set forth the reasons why the action is being recommended, the findings of the employing agency concerning the matter, the action taken by the employing agency, and that the action by the agency is final The law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer leaves, voluntarily quits,quits or the officer’s position is eliminated when disciplinary action was pending, under circumstances warranting the discharge of the law enforcement officer or under circumstances warranting the removal of the reserve peace officer for goodjust cause.

2.5.

Section 80B.13A, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsection:subsections:

EXPLANATION The inclusionrules of thisevidence explanationshall doesapply notto constitutea agreementHF with937 the(2) explanation’s91 substance-1- byas/js/md the1/3 membersH.F. of the general assembly.

This937 billcontested relatescase toinvolving the revocation or suspension of a law enforcement officerofficer’s or reserve peace officer’s certification.

TheNEW billSUBSECTION provides. that the Iowa law enforcement academy council may revoke or suspend the certification of a law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer due to any of LSB 2834HV (1) 91 -1- as/js 1/2 H.F.

9378. the following:

If the law enforcement officerofficer’s or reserve peace officerofficer’s hascertification beenwas dischargedsuspended forpursuant goodto causean fromorder employmentof asthe acouncil lawor enforcementsettlement agreement, the officer orshall reservenot peacebe officer;required to apply for reinstatement of the officer’s certification upon completion of the suspension.

orNEW theSUBSECTION. law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer leaves, voluntarily quits, or the officer’s position is eliminated when disciplinary action was pending, under circumstances warranting the discharge of the law enforcement officer or under circumstances warranting the removal of the reserve peace officer for good cause.

The9. bill provides that no grounds for revocation actions may be maintained other than as expressly provided in Code section 80B.13A and any actions pending before the council on other grounds shall be immediately dismissed.

LSBThe 2834HVacademy (1)shall 91promptly -2-provide as/jscopies 2/2of the complete investigative report and records concerning the law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer to the officer or the officer’s legal counsel upon written request.

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6.

Section 622.10, subsection 9, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:

a.

A peer support group counselor or individual present for a individual or group crisis intervention who obtains information from an officer or a civilian employee of a law enforcement agency, emergency management agency, emergency medical services agency, or fire department by reason of the counselor’s capacity as a peer support group counselor or an individual’s presence for a individual or group crisis intervention shall not be allowed, in giving testimony, to disclose any confidential communication properly entrusted to the counselor or individual present for a group crisis intervention by the officer or civilian employee while receiving counseling or group crisis intervention including in giving testimony.

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7.

Section 622.10, subsection 9, paragraph c, subparagraphs (1) and (2), Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:

(1) “Officer” means a certified law enforcement officer, fire fighter, emergency medical technician or medical provider , paramedic, corrections officer, detention officer, jailer, probation or parole officer, public safety telecommunicator, dispatcher, emergency management coordinator under chapter 29C, HF 937 (2) 91 -2- as/js/md 2/3 H.F.

937 or any other law enforcement officer certified by the Iowa law enforcement academy and employed by a city, county, or state agency.

(2) “Peer support group counselor” means a law enforcement officer, fire fighter, civilian employee of a law enforcement agency or fire department, or a nonemployee counselor who has been designated as a peer support group counselor by a sheriff, police chief, fire chief, or department head of a law enforcement agency, fire department, or emergency medical services agency and who has received training to provide emotional and moral support and counseling to an officer or group who needs those services as a result of an incident in which the officer or group was involved while acting in the officer’s or group’s official capacity.

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8.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.