IowaIowa law limits some injury claims against motocross facilities
Iowa law limits some injury claims against motocross facilities and requires operators to post a warning, while keeping exceptions for certain safety failures.
What it does
Motocross facilities and operators are protected from claims over injuries or deaths caused by risks built into the sport at the facility. The protection has exceptions for intentional harm and safety failures.
Operators must post a clearly visible sign near motocross activities warning that Iowa law limits their liability for injuries or deaths caused by risks built into the sport.
Argument forOperators may face fewer claims for injuries caused by ordinary motocross dangers, while remaining responsible for listed safety failures.
Argument againstParticipants may have fewer ways to recover losses when an injury at a facility results from a danger built into motocross.
More detail
The law protects facilities and operators from some injury and death claims. It covers amateur and professional participants, including passengers, whether or not they pay a fee, while taking part in motocross activities at a facility. The protection covers injuries or deaths caused by risks built into motocross activities, such as rider mistakes, bad weather, or animal attacks, when they happen at a motocross facility. It does not apply if an operator intentionally harms a participant, is negligent about participant safety and causes the injury, provides equipment it knew or should have known was unsafe, or fails to use reasonable care. The rule does not apply to employer and employee relationships covered by Iowa's workers' compensation law. Other legal claims and defenses remain, and this section does not affect claims for injuries or deaths that happened before the Act's effective date. The rule does not affect claims for injuries or deaths that happened before the Act's effective date.
Facility operators must post and maintain a warning sign. The duty applies to every motocross facility operator. The sign must be easy to see on or near places where the operator runs motocross activities. It must have black letters at least one inch tall on a white background and warn that Iowa law limits operator liability for injuries or deaths caused by risks built into motocross.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 19Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.Became Law
- May 6Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 31Message from House.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31Immediate message.
- Mar 31Passed House, yeas 93, nays 0.Major
- Mar 31House concurred in Senate amendment H-8262.
- Mar 25Senate amendment H-8262 filed.Minor
- Mar 25Message from Senate.
- Mar 24Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 24Passed Senate, yeas 45, nays 0.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 24Amendment S-5097 adopted.Major
- Mar 16Placed on calendar.
- Mar 16Amendment S-5097 filed.Minor
- Mar 16Committee report, recommending amendment and passage.Minor
- Mar 11Subcommittee recommends amendment and passage.
- Mar 10Subcommittee Meeting: 03/11/2026 12:30PM Senate Lounge.
- Mar 10Subcommittee: Dickey, Blake, and Webster.
- Mar 5Read first time, referred to Judiciary.Minor
- Mar 5Message from House.
- Mar 4Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Passed House, yeas 97, nays 0.Passed 1st Chamber
- Feb 19Placed on calendar.
- Feb 18Committee vote: Yeas, 20. Nays, 0. Excused, 1.
- Feb 18Committee report, recommending passage.Minor
- Feb 18Subcommittee recommends passage.Minor
- Feb 17Subcommittee Meeting: 02/18/2026 12:30PM House Lounge.
- Feb 17Subcommittee: Behn, Johnson, R. and Meyer, A.
- 2025
- Apr 3Referred to Transportation.Minor
- Mar 11Introduced, placed on calendar.Introduced
Public Safety