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 session set to go into effect at the beginning of July.
Senate File 22 bans the use of cellphones and electronic devices when not in voice activated or hands-free mode while operating a vehicle. Police officers will begin pulling over distracted drivers and charging them with a warning starting July 1. Come January 2026, offenders will be charged with a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a fine between $100 and $850.
Here are 10 more laws that create additional criminal penalties or expand the definition of previous crimes that go into effect July 1:
Driving with an open-container THC beverage
House File 181 prohibits open-container beverages containing THC in the passenger area of motor vehicles. People are allowed to transport open-beverage THC drinks in the trunk of their vehicles but if it’s anywhere else in the car, and they risk being charged with a simple misdemeanor punishable by a $260 fine.
Gift card fraud
Senate File 260 creates a graduated penalty for altering or tampering with a gift card with intent to defraud. Under the new law, a violator commits forgery and is guilty of different charges based on the fraudulent amount or value of goods purchased with a fraudulent card. The crime is a class C felony if more than $5,000 is uploaded to a card or obtained in stolen goods; a class D felony if the fraudulent value is between $5,000 and $1,000; an aggravated misdemeanor if the fraudulent value is between $1,000 and $500, and a serious misdemeanor if the fraudulent value is under $500.
Additionally, the value of retail merchandise fraudulently obtained within a six-month period will be aggregated and the defendant will be charged for the total amount.
Critical infrastructure sabotage
House File 879 expands the definition of “critical infrastructure sabotage” to include a telecommunications service, information service or cable service, a wireless service or broadband generation, transmission or delivery service. Individuals found guilty of willfully impairing critical infrastructure are guilty of a class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a fine between $85,000 and $100,000.
Grooming
House File 180 defines grooming as an attempt to persuade a minor to commit an unlawful sexual act, punishable as a class D felony. Individuals found guilty will be classified as tier 1 sex offenders. Those convicted are subject to 10 years in prison, with possibility of parole. This law explicitly includes law enforcement sting operations within the statute, meaning even if the intended victim is an undercover police officer, individuals can be prosecuted for grooming.
You can read the full article at Iowa Capital Dispatch.