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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.
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Ottumwa CourierOttumwa Courier
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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…

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NE Iowa Publishing broke the news in Oelwein, United States on Monday, June 30, 2025.
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