Here are 11 new Iowa laws that include criminal penalties
IOWA, UNITED STATES, JUL 1 – Eleven laws expand penalties for assault, human trafficking, and gift card fraud while introducing a hands-free cellphone driving ban expected to prevent up to 595 crashes by 2033.
- Iowa passed multiple laws in the 2025 session that took effect on July 1, including a ban on hand-held cellphone use while driving under Senate File 22.
- These laws respond to concerns about impaired and distracted driving, expanding penalties for open-container THC possession and broadening definitions of human trafficking and related offenses.
- Additional provisions protect health care workers from assault, impose graduated penalties for gift card fraud, toughen firearm possession rules for felons, and address repeated offenses with escalating felony charges.
- Penalties include a $260 fine for open-container THC beverages outside the trunk, class D felonies with mandatory minimum sentences for grooming offenses, and fines between $100 and $850 for distracted driving starting January 2026.
- These laws indicate Iowa's intent to enhance enforcement and expand criminal definitions to improve public safety and offender accountability beginning July 1, 2025.
15 Articles
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11 new Iowa laws that include criminal penalties among 170 now in effect
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Here are 11 new Iowa laws that include criminal penalties
Iowa drivers will be more likely to get pulled over after July 1 if they are behind the wheel with their cellphones in their hands. This new law is one of many passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2025…
Report analyzes potential economic benefits of new hands-free driving law
Iowa’s new hands-free driving law took effect Tuesday, banning the use of handheld cellphones while driving. Photo courtesy Getty Images Iowa’s newly passed hands-free driving law went into effect Tuesday, and a report from Common …The post Report analyzes potential economic benefits of new hands-free driving law appeared first on Business Record.
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