Introduced
Iowa : 2025-2026 Regular Session : BILL SF142
A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
Sponsor: Sen Charlie McClintock
Bill Details
A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
Bill summary (AI generated)
Defined Terms Cloud Seeding: Attempting to change precipitation by dispersing chemicals (e.g., silver iodide, dry ice) via aircraft or ground generators. Polluting Atmospheric Activity: The deliberate discharge of irritants (smoke, vapor, chemicals), electromagnetic fields, or radiation that may harm health, the environment, or agriculture. Weather Engineering: Deliberate manipulation of the environment to change weather or climate (e.g., cloud seeding). Core Prohibitions Banned Activities: No person is allowed to engage in: Polluting atmospheric activity. Cloud seeding. Any other type of weather engineering. Unmarked Aircraft: The bill specifically prohibits using unmarked or unidentified aircraft (or other vehicles) to engage in these activities. Enforcement and Penalties Responsible Agency: The Department of Public Safety (DPS). Cease and Desist: DPS must immediately issue a cease and desist order to anyone suspected of a violation. This order has the legal weight of a court order. Criminal Charges: A violation is classified as a Class “D” felony. From the Explanation text: A Class "D" felony is punishable by up to 5 years confinement and a fine between $1,025 and $10,245. Daily Offense: Each day a violation continues is treated as a separate criminal offense. Federal and Military Application Compliance: The bill states that Federal government and armed forces projects must meet these requirements. Notices: If the federal government approves a prohibited activity, DPS must issue a notice to the agency stating the activity is unlawful in Iowa. Air National Guard: DPS is authorized to refer potential violations to the Iowa Air National Guard if deemed necessary. Effective Date The Act is deemed of immediate importance and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
History
The bill was introduced in January 2025 and referred to the Judiciary Committee soon after. A subcommittee was formed to consider it, indicating that the bill is in the early stages of the legislative process. Currently, the bill has not passed or failed, as it is still actively being reviewed. The next steps will involve further discussions and assessments by the subcommittee before it can be brought back to the full committee for a potential vote.
- Tue 28 Jan 2025 Introduced, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 147.
- Mon 03 Feb 2025 Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 178.
Bill text (Transcribed)
Iowa : 2025-2026 Regular Session : BILL SF142
A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
SENATE FILE 142
BY McCLINTOCK
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. NEW SECTION. 708C.1 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
1. “Cloud seeding” means a type of weather modification that attempts to change the amount or type of condensation or precipitation by dispersing chemicals, including but not limited to silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice, into the air by means of aircraft or ground generators.
2. “Department” means the department of public safety.
3. “Polluting atmospheric activity” means the deliberate discharge of any solid, liquid, gaseous, or thermal irritant, contaminant, or substance, including smoke, vapor, soot, fume, aerosol plume, acid, alkali, chemical, artificially produced electric field, magnetic field, electromagnetic field, electromagnetic pulse, sound wave, sound pollution, light pollution, microwave, and all artificially produced ionizing or nonionizing radiation or waste conducted in the atmosphere that may have harmful consequences upon health, the environment, or agriculture.
4. “Weather engineering” means the deliberate manipulation or alteration of the environment for the purpose of changing the weather or climate by artificial means, typically involving the deliberate release of polluting emissions in the atmosphere via cloud seeding, for small-scale, large-scale, and global-scale alteration of the environment.
Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 708C.2 Prohibited acts. A person shall not engage in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or any other type of weather engineering, or use an unmarked or unidentified aircraft or other vehicle or facility to engage in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or any other type of weather engineering, unless otherwise provided by law.
Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 708C.3 Penalties and enforcement.
1. The department shall immediately issue a cease and desist order to a person suspected of violating section 708C.2. A cease and desist order issued under this section shall have the weight of a court order and any violation shall be punished in accordance with subsection 2.
2. A person who violates section 708C.2 commits a class “D” felony. A separate offense is committed by the person for each day during which the violation has been conducted, repeated, or continued.
Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 708C.4 Notice to cease federal or armed forces programs.
1. Federal government and armed forces projects must meet all the requirements of this chapter. If an activity in violation of section 708C.2 has been approved explicitly or implicitly by the federal government, the department shall issue a notice to the appropriate federal agency that the activity cannot lawfully be carried out within or over the state.
2. The department shall determine whether violations have occurred and, if deemed necessary, shall refer potentially prohibited activity to the Iowa air national guard.
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill relates to geoengineering by creating penalties and enforcement procedures for persons engaging in such practices. A person who engages in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or weather engineering commits a class “D” felony. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025, but not more than $10,245. Each day the person violates this restriction is treated as a separate offense. Additionally, if these practices are suspected, the department of public safety (DPS) is authorized to issue the suspected person a cease and desist letter having the weight of a court order.
The bill states that the federal government and armed forces must abide by these restrictions. Should an act approved explicitly or implicitly by the federal government or armed forces be in violation of these restrictions, the department shall issue a notice to the appropriate federal agency that the actions are unlawful. DPS may refer violations to the Iowa air national guard if DPS deems such referral as necessary.
The bill takes effect upon enactment.
A bill for an act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
SENATE FILE 142
BY McCLINTOCK
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to the prohibition of geoengineering activities, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. NEW SECTION. 708C.1 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
1. “Cloud seeding” means a type of weather modification that attempts to change the amount or type of condensation or precipitation by dispersing chemicals, including but not limited to silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice, into the air by means of aircraft or ground generators.
2. “Department” means the department of public safety.
3. “Polluting atmospheric activity” means the deliberate discharge of any solid, liquid, gaseous, or thermal irritant, contaminant, or substance, including smoke, vapor, soot, fume, aerosol plume, acid, alkali, chemical, artificially produced electric field, magnetic field, electromagnetic field, electromagnetic pulse, sound wave, sound pollution, light pollution, microwave, and all artificially produced ionizing or nonionizing radiation or waste conducted in the atmosphere that may have harmful consequences upon health, the environment, or agriculture.
4. “Weather engineering” means the deliberate manipulation or alteration of the environment for the purpose of changing the weather or climate by artificial means, typically involving the deliberate release of polluting emissions in the atmosphere via cloud seeding, for small-scale, large-scale, and global-scale alteration of the environment.
Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 708C.2 Prohibited acts. A person shall not engage in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or any other type of weather engineering, or use an unmarked or unidentified aircraft or other vehicle or facility to engage in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or any other type of weather engineering, unless otherwise provided by law.
Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 708C.3 Penalties and enforcement.
1. The department shall immediately issue a cease and desist order to a person suspected of violating section 708C.2. A cease and desist order issued under this section shall have the weight of a court order and any violation shall be punished in accordance with subsection 2.
2. A person who violates section 708C.2 commits a class “D” felony. A separate offense is committed by the person for each day during which the violation has been conducted, repeated, or continued.
Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 708C.4 Notice to cease federal or armed forces programs.
1. Federal government and armed forces projects must meet all the requirements of this chapter. If an activity in violation of section 708C.2 has been approved explicitly or implicitly by the federal government, the department shall issue a notice to the appropriate federal agency that the activity cannot lawfully be carried out within or over the state.
2. The department shall determine whether violations have occurred and, if deemed necessary, shall refer potentially prohibited activity to the Iowa air national guard.
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill relates to geoengineering by creating penalties and enforcement procedures for persons engaging in such practices. A person who engages in polluting atmospheric activity, cloud seeding, or weather engineering commits a class “D” felony. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025, but not more than $10,245. Each day the person violates this restriction is treated as a separate offense. Additionally, if these practices are suspected, the department of public safety (DPS) is authorized to issue the suspected person a cease and desist letter having the weight of a court order.
The bill states that the federal government and armed forces must abide by these restrictions. Should an act approved explicitly or implicitly by the federal government or armed forces be in violation of these restrictions, the department shall issue a notice to the appropriate federal agency that the actions are unlawful. DPS may refer violations to the Iowa air national guard if DPS deems such referral as necessary.
The bill takes effect upon enactment.