This bill amends Iowa's laws concerning state disaster emergencies and public health disasters by extending the duration of a state of disaster emergency from thirty days to sixty days. It shifts the authority to rescind, extend, or amend the proclamation from the governor to the general assembly, with initial extensions limited to sixty days and subsequent extensions also capped at sixty-day increments. If the general assembly is not in session, the legislative council is permitted to act only once to extend or amend the proclamation for a maximum of sixty days. The bill also introduces restrictions to ensure that measures taken during a state of disaster do not violate constitutional rights, religious freedoms, or patient rights.

Additionally, the bill modifies immunization requirements for school enrollment and licensed child care centers by allowing exemptions based on sincerely held religious beliefs, rather than just those aligned with recognized religious denominations. It ensures that if a child is granted a vaccination exemption, it remains valid during emergencies or epidemics, thereby broadening the criteria for acceptable religious beliefs regarding vaccination exemptions. The bill also emphasizes the Department of Health and Human Services' role in recommending health measures without mandating them, reinforcing individual authority over health decisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 29C.6, 135.140, 139A.4, 139A.8