So disappointing for Iowa. And for its most vulnerable.

Iowa lawmakers passed HF 2305--with unanimous bi-partisan support--and the Governor has signed it. It will be the law in Iowa on July 1, 2026. It was presented to lawmakers--who then presented it to the public--as the solution for the tragedy of suffering adult Iowans under guardianship being kept from hospice care while they await court approval. 

In truth, Iowa law has never required court approval for hospice admission for persons in a guardianship. Hospice is "healthcare" and the only healthcare procedures or actions with a prerequisite of court approval are sterilization, abortion and the withholding and withdrawing of life-sustaining procedures (CPR, feeding tube, ventilator). 

Bottom line: The new law says "protected persons" will no longer have the oversight and protection of the Iowa courts once they become seriously ill. They are under a guardianship because the court has decreed they can no longer make their own decisions concerning healthcare, living arrangements--or really anything. Now we say that court-ordered oversight is only needed until such time as they become seriously ill and are determined by someone to be approaching the end of life. If not then, why at all? 

Shame on the lawmakers who passed this law without bothering to question statements claiming 1) protected persons can only have their pain relieved if they are under hospice care and 2) protected persons cannot be admitted to hospice without court approval. Both are untrue and minimal engagement would have revealed that, or common sense, or even reading existing law or HF 2305. And shame on those who participated in this abuse of power to jeopardize the well-being of the thousands of Iowans directly impacted.    

We are 100 percent judged by how we treat our most vulnerable populations. It is a dark day for Iowa.