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Bill > HF853
IA HF853
IA HF853A bill for an act relating to interpretation of law in administrative and judicial proceedings under the Iowa administrative procedure Act.(Formerly HF 36.)
summary
Introduced
03/07/2025
03/07/2025
In Committee
04/03/2025
04/03/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill concerns the interpretation of law in administrative and judicial proceedings under Code chapter 17A, the Iowa administrative procedure Act. Under current law, a court must reverse, modify, or grant other appropriate relief from agency action in specified circumstances if it determines that substantial rights of the person seeking relief have been prejudiced. Such circumstances include agency action based upon an irrational, illogical, or wholly unjustifiable interpretation of a provision of law whose interpretation has clearly been vested by a provision of law in the discretion of the agency. If interpretation of the provision of law has not been clearly vested in the discretion of the agency, the standard of review is instead whether the agency’s interpretation is erroneous. Current law also provides standards for a court regarding the determination of the degree of deference to be given to the view of an agency, based on whether a provision of law has vested the agency with discretion over the matter in question. The bill strikes these provisions and instead provides that a court must reverse, modify, or grant other appropriate relief from agency action based upon an erroneous interpretation of a provision of law. The bill additionally prohibits a court, or a presiding officer in a contested case or other administrative action subject to Code chapter 17A, when interpreting a state statute or a rule or other agency document subject to Code chapter 17A, from deferring to an agency’s interpretation of the statute, rule, or document; the bill instead requires the court or officer to interpret its meaning and effect de novo. The bill requires the court or officer, in an action brought by or against an agency, after applying all customary tools of interpretation, to exercise any remaining doubt in favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits agency authority.
AI Summary
This bill modifies the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act by changing how laws are interpreted in administrative and judicial proceedings. Specifically, the bill removes language that previously limited judicial review of agency interpretations of law when those interpretations were not clearly vested in the agency's discretion. More significantly, the bill introduces a new requirement that courts and administrative officers must interpret statutes, rules, and agency documents "de novo" - meaning they must make an independent interpretation without deferring to the agency's own interpretation. Furthermore, in cases involving an agency, the bill mandates that any remaining legal ambiguity should be resolved in a way that reasonably limits the agency's authority. The bill eliminates existing provisions related to agency interpretation and effectively reduces agencies' discretion in interpreting laws by requiring courts and administrative officers to conduct their own independent analysis. This change could potentially make it easier to challenge agency interpretations and restrict administrative agencies' ability to define the scope of their own legal powers.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (0)
No sponsors listed
Other Sponsors (1)
Judiciary (House)
Last Action
Placed on calendar. H.J. 396. (on 02/23/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF853 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF853.html |
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