The bill amends Section 669.14A of the Iowa Code to clarify the scope of qualified immunity for state employees in relation to state tort claims. It specifies that the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by law include those provided by the Constitution of the State of Iowa, statutes, and common law. This change is in response to recent Iowa Supreme Court decisions that indicated qualified immunity did not extend to common law tort claims, thereby potentially exposing state employees to liability in such cases.

Additionally, the bill includes a retroactive applicability provision, stating that it applies to claims brought on or after June 17, 2021, which is the date when Code section 669.14A was originally enacted. This retroactive application aims to ensure that the clarified definitions of rights and immunities are applied to past claims, thereby reinforcing the protections for state employees under the amended law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 669.14A