Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 12 D cosponsors

SF 189 — A bill for an act relating to medical malpractice by exempting claims involving sexual assault from the limitations on noneconomic damages.

Last action — Subcommittee: Bousselot, Blake, and Schultz.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 03, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    12 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (12 D).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill allows claims of sexual assault to exceed limits on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases.

This bill creates an exception to the limits on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice claims when sexual assault is involved. It specifies that such limitations do not apply if the healthcare provider's actions are sexual in nature, regardless of the context.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill exempts claims involving sexual assault from the limitations on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases.

  • Section 147.136A

    The limitation on damages contained in this section shall not apply as to a defendant if that any of the following are true: → The limitation on damages contained in this section shall not apply as to a defendant if any of the following are true:

    Clarifies the language regarding the conditions under which the limitation on damages does not apply.

  • Section 147.136A

    That defendant’s action is sexual in nature regardless of either of the following:

    Establishes that if a defendant's actions are sexual in nature, they are exempt from the limitation on noneconomic damages.

  • Section 147.136A

    (1) The act was committed under auspice of providing professional diagnosis, counseling, or treatment.

    Includes actions committed under medical auspices as a criterion for exemption from damage limitations.

  • Section 147.136A

    (2) At the time the act occurred, the patient believed the act was for medically or professionally appropriate diagnosis, counseling, or treatment.

    Considers the patient's belief about the appropriateness of the medical actions as a factor for the exemption.

Action History

  1. Subcommittee: Bousselot, Blake, and Schultz.

  2. Introduced, referred to Judiciary.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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12 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 138 not signed on

Sponsors (12)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (138)

138 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 138 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights healthcare labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SF 189?
SF 189 is sponsored by Liz Bennett (Democrat), Matt Blake (Democrat), William A. Dotzler Jr. (Democrat), Janice Weiner (Democrat), Cindy Winckler (Democrat), Herman C. Quirmbach (Democrat), Art Staed (Democrat), Thomas Townsend (Democrat), Sarah Trone Garriott (Democrat), Tony Bisignano (Democrat), Molly Donahue (Democrat), and Janet Petersen (Democrat).
What is the current status of SF 189?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 03, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SF 189?
Track SF 189 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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