Bill
Bill > HF2560
IA HF2560
IA HF2560A bill for an act relating to recordings of interviews during child abuse assessments and family assessments.
summary
Introduced
02/16/2026
02/16/2026
In Committee
02/16/2026
02/16/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
The federal Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE) Act established grants for states that meet certain requirements. This bill implements the requirements of the GRACIE Act by redefining “interview” for purposes of child abuse assessments and family assessments (assessments), and requiring each interview performed by the department of health and human services (HHS) during an assessment to be recorded by audio recording, body camera video, or other reasonable means of recording the interview. Recordings must be retained for a minimum of five years from the date the recording was made and released only to persons specified in the bill. A person who releases a recording to a person not authorized by the bill shall be subject to a penalty established by HHS. HHS’s failure to comply with the bill’s provisions does not provide an individual a cause of action against the state, a subdivision, or an agent of the state or a subdivision of the state; and does not constitute grounds to preclude statements, observations, or other evidence obtained during an interview from being admitted in a legal proceeding. The bill directs HHS to adopt rules to implement the bill.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that all interviews conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during child abuse assessments and family assessments, which are investigations into potential harm or neglect of a child, must be recorded using audio, body camera video, or other suitable methods. These recordings must be kept for at least five years and can only be shared with specific individuals involved in the investigation or legal proceedings concerning the child, with certain conditions. The bill also clarifies the definition of "interview" and "observation" in the context of these assessments, and establishes penalties for unauthorized release of recordings, while clarifying that the state cannot be sued for non-compliance and that evidence gathered during interviews will still be admissible in court. The HHS is required to create rules to put these new requirements into effect, aligning with the federal GRACIE Act which provides grants to states that meet recording standards for child protective interviews.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Subcommittee recommends passage. (on 02/18/2026)
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=HF2560 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF2560.html |
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