House File 724 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 724 BY LAWLER A BILL FOR An Act relating to the duties of fire officials and reports of 1 fires and emergency responses. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2860YH (5) 91 as/js
H.F. 724 Section 1. Section 100.2, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 100.2 Duties of fire officials. 3 The chief of the fire department or the chiefs designee 4 of every city or township in which a fire department is 5 established or the chief of the fire department or the chiefs 6 designee responding to every township fire where there is a 7 contract for fire protection in effect shall investigate into 8 the cause, origin , and circumstances of every fire occurring 9 in the city or township by which property has been destroyed 10 or damaged or which results in bodily injury to a person, and 11 determine whether the fire was the result of natural causes, 12 negligence or design resulting in property damage, bodily 13 injury, or destruction . The investigation shall determine 14 whether the fire was caused by natural factors, negligence, 15 or intentional action. The state fire marshal may assist in 16 the investigation or may direct the investigation if the fire 17 marshal finds it necessary. 18 Sec. 2. Section 321.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, are 19 amended to read as follows: 20 3. Notwithstanding other provisions of this section 21 to the contrary, the department shall not release personal 22 information to a person, other than to an officer or employee 23 of a law enforcement agency, an officer or employee of a 24 fire department pursuant to section 100.2, an employee of 25 a federal or state agency or political subdivision in the 26 performance of the employees official duties, a contract 27 employee of the department of inspections, appeals, and 28 licensing in the conduct of an investigation, or a licensed 29 private investigation agency or a licensed security service or 30 a licensed employee of either, if the information is requested 31 by the presentation of a registration plate number. In 32 addition, an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency 33 may release the name, address, and telephone number of a motor 34 vehicle registrant to a person requesting the information by 35 -1- LSB 2860YH (5) 91 as/js 1/ 3
H.F. 724 the presentation of a registration plate number if the officer 1 or employee of the law enforcement agency believes that the 2 release of the information is necessary in the performance of 3 the officers or employees duties. 4 4. The department shall not release personal information 5 that is in the form of a persons photograph or digital image 6 or a digital reproduction of a persons photograph to a person 7 other than an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency 8 or fire department , an employee of a federal or state agency 9 or political subdivision in the performance of the employees 10 official duties, a contract employee of the department of 11 inspections, appeals, and licensing in the conduct of an 12 investigation, or a licensed private investigation agency or 13 a licensed security service or a licensed employee of either, 14 regardless of whether a person has provided express written 15 consent to disclosure of the information. The department may 16 collect reasonable fees for copies of records or other services 17 provided pursuant to this section or section 22.3 , 321.10 , or 18 622.46 . 19 Sec. 3. Section 692.1, subsection 7, unnumbered paragraph 20 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 21 Criminal or juvenile justice agency means either any of the 22 following: 23 Sec. 4. Section 692.1, subsection 7, Code 2025, is amended 24 by adding the following new paragraph: 25 NEW PARAGRAPH . c. The fire marshal or an officer or 26 employee of a fire department pursuant to chapter 100. 27 Sec. 5. REPEAL. Section 100.3, Code 2025, is repealed. 28 EXPLANATION 29 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 30 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 31 This bill relates to the duties of fire officials and reports 32 of fires and emergency responses. 33 The bill provides that the chief of the fire department or 34 the chiefs designee of every city or township in which a fire 35 -2- LSB 2860YH (5) 91 as/js 2/ 3
H.F. 724 department is established or every township where there is a 1 contract for fire protection in effect shall investigate into 2 the cause, origin, and circumstances of every fire occurring 3 in the city or township resulting in property damage, bodily 4 injury, or destruction. The investigation shall determine 5 whether the fire was caused by natural factors, negligence, or 6 intentional action. 7 The bill adds an officer or employee of a fire department 8 pursuant to Code section 100.2 to the list of persons allowed 9 access to personal information contained in records of the 10 department of transportation if the information is requested by 11 the presentation of a registration plate number. 12 The bill adds an employee of a fire department to the list 13 of persons allowed access to personal information that is in 14 the form of a persons photograph or digital image or a digital 15 reproduction of a persons photograph. 16 The bill adds the fire marshal or an officer or employee of 17 a fire department to the definition of a criminal or juvenile 18 justice agency. 19 The bill repeals Code section 100.3 (reports of fires and 20 emergency responses). 21 -3- LSB 2860YH (5) 91 as/js 3/ 3