This bill amends the definition of "government body" in Iowa's open records law to include instrumentalities of counties, cities, or townships. Specifically, it adds language to include these entities, which serve governmental purposes and operate on behalf of political subdivisions, thereby making them subject to open records requirements and associated civil penalties. The bill also provides a detailed definition of "instrumentality," which encompasses entities like the Iowa League of Cities and the Iowa State Association of Counties, while explicitly excluding state, county, or city insurance group entities and employee benefits group entities.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that these instrumentalities will be treated as government bodies under various provisions of Iowa law, including those related to public access to government information and penalties for misconduct in office. Notably, it highlights that public officers or employees who falsify records that become public documents may face serious legal consequences, including a class D felony charge, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to five years and significant fines.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 22.1, 468.3