---
type: "Bill"
title: "A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse."
description: "A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ia"
legislature: "Iowa General Assembly"
session: "2025-2026"
identifier: "HF 2256"
citation: "Iowa HF 2256 (2025-2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["child assistance", "juvenile justice", "mental health", "substance use disorder"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 6
action_count: 27
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2026-01-30"
last_action: "2026-05-06"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/e36592f7-5e11-4e90-a4da-003fdabde026"
source_url: "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=HF 2256&ga=91"
source_hash: "e35c9121572be5c54f853eaf7c9e9c1ab0520a5afcc848d661c30628117b61fd"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ia"]
---

# Iowa HF 2256 (2025-2026) — A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF2256.html)
2. **Amendment H-8299** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/AMDI/91/H8299.pdf)
3. **Amendment S-5120** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/AMDI/91/S5120.pdf)
4. **Enrolled with Governor's Action** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGEG/91/attachments/HF2256.html)
5. **Signed Enrolled Bill (PDF)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/Attachments/HF2256_GovLetter.pdf)
6. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/attachments/HF2256.html)

## Votes

- Shall the bill pass? — **47–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES — primary (organization)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-30** Introduced, placed on calendar. `introduction`
- **2026-02-25** Fiscal note.
- **2026-02-26** Passed House, yeas 90, nays 0. `passage`
- **2026-02-26** Immediate message.
- **2026-03-02** Message from House.
- **2026-03-02** Read first time, referred to Health and Human Services. `reading-1`
- **2026-03-04** Subcommittee: Alons, Evans, and Petersen.
- **2026-03-04** Subcommittee Meeting: 03/09/2026 12:30PM Room 315.
- **2026-03-09** Subcommittee recommends passage. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-13** Fiscal note.
- **2026-03-19** Committee report, recommending amendment and passage. `committee-passage`
- **2026-03-19** Amendment S-5120 filed. `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-03-19** Placed on calendar.
- **2026-03-26** Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- **2026-04-06** Amendment S-5120 adopted. `amendment-passage`
- **2026-04-06** Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0. `passage`
- **2026-04-06** Immediate message.
- **2026-04-06** Message from Senate.
- **2026-04-06** Senate amendment H-8299 filed. `amendment-introduction`
- **2026-04-13** Fiscal note.
- **2026-04-13** House concurred in Senate amendment H-8299.
- **2026-04-13** Passed House, yeas 90, nays 0. `passage`
- **2026-05-02** Explanation of vote.
- **2026-04-13** Immediate message.
- **2026-04-14** Message from House.
- **2026-05-06** Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.
- **2026-05-06** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/e36592f7-5e11-4e90-a4da-003fdabde026`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Iowa legislature records).