HF 2629 — A bill for an act relating to trespass, and providing penalties.

House File 2629 - IntroducedReprinted HOUSE FILE 2629 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HF 981) (As Amended and Passed by the House March 12, 2026) A BILL FOR An Act establishingrelating theto criminaltrespass, offense of unlawful squatting, and providing penalties.

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NEWSection SECTION.716.7, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:

648.24NEW UnlawfulPARAGRAPH squatting..

1.0a.

As used in this section:

a.

b.NEW PARAGRAPH.

“Premises”00a. means a dwelling, commercial building, or vacant or unimproved real property.

c.“Lawful authority” means the ability of a person to produce a deed or mortgage statement in the person’s name, a lease agreement that includes the name and signature of the property owner or an authorized representative of the property owner, a valid written or electronic agreement or communication authorizing the person to enter upon the property, or a receipt or other reliable evidence of a rent payment made to the property owner or an authorized representative of the property owner dated within the last sixty days.

(1)NEW “UnlawfulPARAGRAPH squatting”. means entering and residing unlawfully in a premises when the person entering and residing in the premises is not privileged or licensed to do so.

(2)g. “Unlawful squatting” includes without limitation taking up residence in a premises a person does not own if all of the following are true:

(a)“Squatting” Themeans a person isknowingly nottaking up residence at a currentproperty tenantnot atopen to the premises.public without lawful authority.

(b)Sec. The person does not have a valid agreement to occupy the premises.

(c) The person is not an immediate family member of the owner of the premises.

ASection person716.7, commitssubsection the2, offenseparagraph ofa, unlawfulCode squatting2026, ifis allamended ofby adding the following circumstancesnew apply:subparagraph:

a.NEW SUBPARAGRAPH .

The(2A) person:Squatting, if all of the following are true:

(1)(a) KnowinglyThe entersperson theis premisesnot ofa anothercurrent person.tenant at the property.

(2)(b) KnowinglyThe residesperson ondoes thenot premiseshave ofa thevalid otheragreement personto foroccupy anythe periodproperty. of time.

(3)(c) KnowinglyThe actsperson withoutis lawfulnot authorityan inimmediate enteringfamily andmember residingof onthe owner of the premises.property.

(4)(d) CannotThe produceperson atacts leastwithout onelawful ofauthority thein followingentering documents:and residing on the property.

(a)Sec. A deed or mortgage statement in the person’s name for the premises.

(b) A lease agreement that includes the name and signature of the other person or an authorized representative of the other person.

(c) A valid written or electronic agreement or communication authorizing the person to enter upon the premises.

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2629 (d) A receipt or other reliable evidence of a rent payment made to the other person or an authorized representative of the other person dated within the last sixty days.

b.

The premises the person enters upon is not open to the public at the time of entry.

c.

The owner of the premises has directed the person entering upon the premises to leave the premises or has contacted law enforcement to make a report of unlawful squatting.

d.

No pending litigation exists between the owner of the premises and the person entering upon the premises.

ASection law716.8, enforcementCode agency2026, shall not accept a report of unlawful squatting unless the report is madeamended by anadding owner of the premisesfollowing uponnew whichsubsection: the unlawful squatting occurred, or by an authorized representative of the owner of the premises upon which the unlawful squatting occurred.

4.NEW SUBSECTION .

A9. law enforcement officer acting in good faith in response to a report of a violation of this section is immune from criminal and civil liability.

5.

UnlawfulA squattingperson iscommitting a serioustrespass misdemeanor.as provided in section 716.7, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (2A), commits the following:

(1) For a first offense, a serious misdemeanor.

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