Bills / 2025–2026 session / HF 853Other education HF 853
Ends judicial deference to state agency legal interpretations The bill stops courts and hearing officers from deferring to non-licensing agencies' interpretations of state laws and rules, requiring independent review. For licensing boards, it limits deference to interpretations where discretion was clearly granted by law.
Official title A bill for an act relating to interpretation of law in administrative and judicial proceedings under the Iowa administrative procedure Act. (Formerly HF 36.)
3 of 5 Where it stands Introduced Committee House Senate Governor Last action, Mar 19: Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 602.
Votes House: Shall the bill pass? Mar 17 · 76–19, 5 not voting · Passed › Rep. Adam Zabner (D, District 90): Yes Rep. Amy Nielsen (D, District 85): Yes Rep. Austin Baeth (D, District 36): Yes Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D, District 49): Yes Rep. Dan Gosa (D, District 81): Yes Rep. Eric Gjerde (D, District 74): Yes Rep. Heather Matson (D, District 42): Yes Rep. Jennifer Konfrst (D, District 32): Yes Rep. Kenan Judge (D, District 27): Yes Rep. Lindsay James (D, District 71): Yes Rep. Rick Olson (D, District 39): Yes Rep. Aime Wichtendahl (D, District 80): No Rep. Angel Ramirez (D, District 78): No Rep. Bob Kressig (D, District 75): No Rep. Brian Meyer (D, District 29): No Rep. Dave Jacoby (D, District 86): No Rep. Elinor Levin (D, District 89): No Rep. Elizabeth Wilson (D, District 73): No Rep. J.D. Scholten (D, District 1): No Rep. Jeff Cooling (D, District 77): No Rep. Ken Croken (D, District 97): No Rep. Larry McBurney (D, District 44): No Rep. Mary Madison (D, District 31): No Rep. Megan Srinivas (D, District 30): No Rep. Monica Kurth (D, District 98): No Rep. Rob Johnson (D, District 34): No Rep. Ross Wilburn (D, District 50): No Rep. Sean Bagniewski (D, District 35): No Rep. Timi Brown-Powers (D, District 61): No Rep. Tracy Ehlert (D, District 79): No Rep. Jerome Amos (D, District 62): Absent Rep. Josh Turek (D, District 20): Absent Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines (D, District 33): Absent Rep. Ann Meyer (R, District 8): Yes Rep. Austin Harris (R, District 26): Yes Rep. Barb Kniff McCulla (R, District 37): Yes Rep. Bill Gustoff (R, District 40): Yes Rep. Blaine Watkins (R, District 100): Yes Rep. Bob Henderson (R, District 2): Yes Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R, District 82): Yes Rep. Brent Siegrist (R, District 19): Yes Rep. Brett Barker (R, District 51): Yes Rep. Brian Lohse (R, District 45): Yes Rep. Brooke Boden (R, District 21): Yes Rep. Bubba Sorensen (R, District 23): Yes Rep. Carter Nordman (R, District 47): Yes Rep. Chad Behn (R, District 48): Yes Rep. Chad Ingels (R, District 68): Yes Rep. Charley Thomson (R, District 58): Yes Rep. Christian Hermanson (R, District 59): Yes Rep. Cindy Golding (R, District 83): Yes Rep. Craig Johnson (R, District 67): Yes Rep. Craig Williams (R, District 11): Yes Rep. Dan Gehlbach (R, District 46): Yes Rep. David Blom (R, District 52): Yes Rep. David Sieck (R, District 16): Yes Rep. David Young (R, District 28): Yes Rep. Dean Fisher (R, District 53): Yes Rep. Derek Wulf (R, District 76): Yes Rep. Devon Wood (R, District 17): Yes Rep. Eddie Andrews (R, District 43): Yes Rep. Gary Mohr (R, District 93): Yes Rep. Hans Wilz (R, District 25): Yes Rep. Heather Hora (R, District 92): Yes Rep. Helena Hayes (R, District 88): Yes Rep. Henry Stone (R, District 9): Yes Rep. Jacob Bossman (R, District 14): Yes Rep. Jane Bloomingdale (R, District 60): Yes Rep. Jason Gearhart (R, District 64): Yes Rep. Jeff Shipley (R, District 87): Yes Rep. Jennifer Smith (R, District 72): Yes Rep. John Wills (R, District 10): Yes Rep. Jon Dunwell (R, District 38): Yes Rep. Josh Meggers (R, District 54): Yes Rep. Judd Lawler (R, District 91): Yes Rep. Mark Cisneros (R, District 96): Yes Rep. Mark Thompson (R, District 56): Yes Rep. Matt Rinker (R, District 99): Yes Rep. Megan Jones (R, District 6): Yes Rep. Michael Bergan (R, District 63): Yes Rep. Mike Vondran (R, District 94): Yes Rep. Norlin Mommsen (R, District 70): Yes Rep. Pat Grassley (R, District 57): Yes Rep. Ryan Weldon (R, District 41): Yes Rep. Sam Wengryn (R, District 24): Yes Rep. Samantha Fett (R, District 22): Yes Rep. Shannon Latham (R, District 55): Yes Rep. Shannon Lundgren (R, District 65): Yes Rep. Skyler Wheeler (R, District 4): Yes Rep. Steve Bradley (R, District 66): Yes Rep. Steven Holt (R, District 12): Yes Rep. Taylor Collins (R, District 95): Yes Rep. Tom Determann (R, District 69): Yes Rep. Tom Jeneary (R, District 3): Yes Rep. Tom Moore (R, District 18): Yes Rep. Travis Sitzmann (R, District 13): Yes Rep. Wendy Larson (R, District 7): Yes Rep. Zach Dieken (R, District 5): Yes Rep. Matt Windschitl (R, District 15): Absent Rep. Tom Gerhold (R, District 84): Absent ← Democrats11 yes, 19 no, 3 not voting Republicans → 65 yes, 0 no, 2 not voting House: House Committee On Judiciary Report Feb 23 · 14–6, 1 not voting · Passed › Rep. Aime Wichtendahl (D, District 80): No Rep. Angel Ramirez (D, District 78): No Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D, District 49): No Rep. Megan Srinivas (D, District 30): No Rep. Ross Wilburn (D, District 50): No Rep. Sean Bagniewski (D, District 35): No Rep. Rick Olson (D, District 39): Absent Rep. Bill Gustoff (R, District 40): Yes Rep. Blaine Watkins (R, District 100): Yes Rep. Carter Nordman (R, District 47): Yes Rep. Charley Thomson (R, District 58): Yes Rep. Craig Williams (R, District 11): Yes Rep. Henry Stone (R, District 9): Yes Rep. Jeff Shipley (R, District 87): Yes Rep. John Wills (R, District 10): Yes Rep. Jon Dunwell (R, District 38): Yes Rep. Judd Lawler (R, District 91): Yes Rep. Mark Thompson (R, District 56): Yes Rep. Samantha Fett (R, District 22): Yes Rep. Skyler Wheeler (R, District 4): Yes Rep. Steven Holt (R, District 12): Yes ← Democrats0 yes, 6 no, 1 not voting Republicans → 14 yes, 0 no On these agendas Judiciary Committee Feb 19 SB 749 – Williams-CH, Stone, Ramirez HSB 750 – C. Thomson-CH, Fett, Wichtendahl HF 853 – Gustoff-CH, Shipley, Wilburn HF 2555 – Lawler-CH, Holt, Bagniewski HF 2574 –
Judiciary Subcommittee Feb 18 Discussion of HF 853 Discussion of HF 853
History Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 602. Senate · Mar 19 Read first time, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 591. Senate · Mar 18 Message from House. S.J. 591. Senate · Mar 18 Immediate message. H.J. 683. House · Mar 17 Passed House, yeas 76, nays 19. H.J. 676. House · Mar 17 Amendment H-8223 adopted. H.J. 675. House · Mar 17 Amendment H-8223 filed. H.J. 673. House · Mar 16 Placed on calendar. H.J. 396. House · Feb 23 Committee vote: Yeas, 14. Nays, 6. Excused, 1. H.J. 396. House · Feb 19 Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 396. House · Feb 19 Subcommittee recommends passage. House · Feb 18 Subcommittee Meeting: 02/18/2026 8:15AM RM 103. House · Feb 17 Subcommittee: Gustoff, Shipley and Wilburn. H.J. 318. House · Feb 17 Referred to Judiciary. H.J. 896. House · Apr 3, 2025 Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 562. House · Mar 7, 2025