Our Client Alerts are intended to provide occasional general comments on new developments in Federal and State law and regulations which we believe might be of interest to our clients. The Client Alerts should not be considered opinions of Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., and are not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should not under any circumstance act upon the information in this publication without seeking specific professional counsel. Please note that AI tools may not accurately interpret or apply the legal information contained in this alert; reliance on such tools is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Ahlers & Cooney will be pleased to provide additional details regarding any article upon request.
By Attorney Elizabeth Burnett The annual budget procedures for cities and counties changed significantly in 2023 and 2024. This client alert is being sent to remind city and county budget officers about the necessary steps to adopt FY27 budgets. To view a checklist of the budgeting process, please click here....
By attorney Dustin Coffman As a reminder, Iowa law requires newly elected or appointed public officials who serve on governmental bodies to complete mandatory training on the Open Meetings and Open Records laws. This training must be completed by any public officer who takes office after July 1, 2025, whether...
By attorney Siobhan Schneider *Closed session to evaluate professional competency pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i) no longer requires an affirmative fact-finding on the part of the governmental body On November 25, 2025 , the Iowa Supreme Court issued a decision in Teig v. Hart interpreting Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i),...
By attorney Jeffrey Edgar During the 2025 legislative session, Senate File 311 (“SF 311”) was passed modifying certain provisions and related procedures governing municipal civil service, Iowa Code Chapter 400. Importantly, SF 311 was signed into law by the Governor on May 19, 2025, with an effective date of August...
By attorney Kristine Stone Beginning on July 1, 2025, newly elected or appointed public officials, who are members of governmental bodies, will be required to complete a training course regarding the Open Meetings and Open Records law within 90 days of taking office. A governmental body includes city councils, boards...
By attorneys Logan Brundage, Jazmine Polk and Rebecca Reif House File 856 was signed by the Governor on May 27, 2025 and a large portion of the bill became effective upon signing. HF 856 imposes new restrictions on public entities, prohibiting the state, counties, cities, townships, public schools and universities,...
By attorneys Maria Brownell, Logan Brundage and Kristine Stone I. ZONING A. Additional Variance Standard – HF 652 House File 652 establishes a new variance standard in sections 335.15 and 414.12 of the Iowa Code. The new standard is applicable to “area, dimensional, or other numerical limitations” in a zoning...
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa has again ruled on preliminary injunctions in two pending cases, holding that portions of Iowa Code Chapter 279, which were enacted as Iowa Senate File 496, are enjoined while the lawsuits remain ongoing. The effect of these rulings is...
By attorney Rachel Fritz During the 2025 legislative session, the Iowa Legislature made revisions to the retainage fund provisions in Iowa Code Chapter 573, reducing the amount that a governmental body may withhold from a principal contractor's monthly payments. Specifically, Sections 573.12 and 573.13 now limit the retainage to no...
By attorneys Miriam Van Heukelem and Jazmine Polk On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (the “Department”) issued a Dear Colleague Letter providing the administration’s interpretation of the nondiscrimination obligations of schools and other entities receiving federal financial assistance under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of...
