Gov. Kim Reynolds signs final bills from the 2024 legislative session

The Iowa Capitol on April 15, 2024. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed the final slate of bills remaining from the 2024 legislative session, including new laws related to the regulation of hemp-derived product and changes to the state’s boards and commissions.

The signing of 20 bills marked the end of action on legislation passed during the 2024 session. While some of the laws signed Friday generated debate during the session, many of the highest-profile bills on subjects like Iowa’s Area Education Agencies and cuts to the state’s individual income tax have already been signed.

One of the few bills that was passed by the legislature but vetoed by Reynolds was House File 2539, a bill increasing penalties for the violation of state laws on open meetings and records. The legislation included measures to raise fines for breaking open meetings laws, with knowing violations rising from between $1,000 and $2,500 to $5,000 and $12,500 under the bill. The measure also created a new exception to open meetings law, allowing a quorum of elected officials to attend certain functions, such as political meetings, as long as policy is not discussed.

Erika Eckley, executive director of the Iowa Public Information Board, wrote in a letter to Reynolds that this exception is “in direct conflict with the transparency requirements of Iowa’s sunshine laws and will create an enormous loophole for government bodies to allow for decisions to be made in secret, avoiding public consideration and disclosure, which is contrary to ensuring accountability of government to Iowans and the legislative intent behind the legislation.” She urged the governor to veto the measure.

Reynolds, in vetoing the measure, wrote that the Legislature’s change to the definition of “meeting” was well-intentioned, but was “unnecessary and will cause confusion.” She also wrote in support of a measure that was taken out of the bill that would require training for public officials in open meetings and records laws, a provision she called a “laudable goal and one I hope the Legislature will continue to pursue.”

Here’s a rundown on some of the measures signed into law by the governor Friday:

Boards and commissions

Senate File 2385 makes changes to Iowa’s system of boards and commissions. The law would eliminate 74 boards and commissions. It also would consolidate nine boards into three new bodies out of the current 256 boards and commissions and would make changes to the powers and composition of some panels.

The law received significant pushback during the legislative session, in part because of the changes made to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, turning the body into an advisory panel, and the elimination of commissions representing marginalized groups in Iowa, such as the commissions focusing on the status of women, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and people with disabilities.

Reynolds said in a statement that the law is a part of her larger goal to make state government more efficient, pointing to a 2023 law restructuring and consolidating state agencies and departments.

“These bills are a continuation of that work,” Reynolds said in a statement. “Iowa’s boards and commissions have never been comprehensively reviewed and adjusted for effectiveness and have grown exponentially in size and scope over decades. Today, we reverse that trend, reducing 83 boards and commissions, fixing identified inefficiencies, and unlocking the full potential of last year’s legislation to more effectively deliver services to Iowans.”

Hemp regulations

House File 2605 adds addition restrictions to hemp-derived consumable products available for purchase that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), like Delta-9 drinks and gummies.

The regulations imposed on such products include an age and labeling requirement for people to buy consumable hemp. The new law also adds restrictions and penalties related to the sale, manufacturing and possession of hemp-derived consumable products, including a limit of 4 milligrams of THC per serving in consumable hemp products, and a 10 mg THC limit per container.

Before Reynolds signed it, producers and retailers of THC products called for the governor to reject the bill. In signing it, Reynolds said she understood parts of both the pushback and support for the measure.

“I have concerns about this bill and have heard from individuals and groups on both sides of the issue,” Reynolds said. “Ultimately, I am signing it into law to protect minors from dangerous and intoxicating products. At the same time, we’ve taken steps to ensure that children who are resistant to medications and suffer from seizures and other medical conditions continue to have access to consumable hemp alternatives for relief.”

Traffic cameras

The Iowa Department of Transportation will have more oversight into the implementation of traffic cameras at Iowa localities through House File 2681. The measure requires local governments and law enforcement to provide justification for the need for automatic traffic enforcement (ATE) systems, like traffic cameras, at specific locations. Information provided is to include the number and severity of accidents, driving speeds and other safety issues in the specified area.

In addition to creating the permitting system for cameras, the law will also set new rules and guidelines for traffic camera use. The law bans localities with fewer than 20,000 residents from using mobile traffic camera technologies to issue tickets, as well as speeding tickets for violations that are not more than 10 miles per hour more than the speed limit.

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