IowaIowa law treats some false credential claims as fraud
People who knowingly lie about having a degree or certain regulated licenses to get a job or another personal gain commit a fraudulent practice under the law.
What it does
A person who knowingly lies about having a degree or a regulated professional license to get a job or another personal gain commits a fraudulent practice.
False claims about degrees fall under the fifth-degree category. False claims about regulated licenses are listed in another penalty provision, but this text does not state their penalty level.
Argument forEmployers may have more reason to trust job applicants when knowingly false claims about degrees and regulated licenses count as fraudulent practices.
Argument againstPeople could face fraud penalties for knowingly making these false claims to gain work or another personal benefit, even if no money changes hands.
More detail
The law treats certain false claims about degrees and licenses as fraudulent practices. This covers claims about an academic degree or other academic credentials, and professional or occupational licenses regulated under chapter 272C. A person must knowingly make the false claim with intent to get a job or another personal gain.
The law places false claims about degrees in the fifth-degree category and lists false claims about regulated licenses in a separate provision. The fifth-degree category applies to the degree-related conduct described in section 714.8, subsection 6A. The separate provision covers license-related conduct described in subsection 6B. The text does not state the penalty level for the license-related provision.
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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 13Fiscal note.Latest
- Apr 16Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.Became Law
- Apr 16Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.To Governor
- Apr 2Message from House.
- Apr 1Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Passed House, yeas 89, nays 3.Major
- Apr 1House concurred in Senate amendment H-8271.
- Mar 31Fiscal note.
- Mar 31Senate amendment H-8271 filed.Minor
- Mar 31Message from Senate.
- Mar 30Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 30Passed Senate, yeas 46, nays 0.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 30Amendment S-5136 out of order.
- Mar 30Amendment S-5137 adopted.Major
- Mar 26Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- Mar 25Amendment S-5137 filed.Minor
- Mar 24Amendment S-5136 filed.Minor
- Mar 19Placed on calendar.
- Mar 19Committee report, recommending passage.Minor
- Mar 18Fiscal note.
- Mar 17Subcommittee Meeting: 03/19/2026 10:00AM Room 315.
- Mar 17Subcommittee: Taylor, Evans, and Knox.
- Mar 16Read first time, referred to Judiciary.Minor
- Mar 16Message from House.
- Mar 12Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 12Passed House, yeas 90, nays 1.Passed 1st Chamber
- Mar 12Amendment H-8178 adopted, as amended.Major
- Mar 12Amendment H-8216 to amendment H-8178 filed, adopted.Major
- Mar 12Amendment H-8074 adopted.Major
- Mar 9Amendment H-8178 filed.Minor
- Mar 2Fiscal note.
- Mar 2Amendment H-8074 filed.Minor
- Feb 6Introduced, placed on calendar.Introduced
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