FrankGoortani/open-us-law huggingface dataset:
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 4 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 4
Religious test — witnesses. No religious test shall be required as a qualification
Status: in_force

Sec. 4. Religious test — witnesses. No religious test shall be required as a qualification 
for any office, or public trust, and no person shall be deprived of any of his rights, privileges, 
or capacities, or disqualified from the performance of any of his public or private duties, or 
rendered incompetent to give evidence in any court of law or equity, in consequence of his 
opinions on the subject of religion; and any party to any judicial proceeding shall have the 
right to use as a witness, or take the testimony of, any other person not disqualified on account 
of interest, who may be cognizant of any fact material to the case; and parties to suits may 
be witnesses, as provided by law. 
Referred to in Iowa Code §729.1
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 11 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 11
When indictment necessary — grand jury. All offenses less than felony and
Status: in_force

Sec. 11. When indictment necessary — grand jury. All offenses less than felony and 
in which the maximum permissible imprisonment does not exceed thirty days shall be 
tried summarily before an officer authorized by law, on information under oath, without 
indictment, or the intervention of a grand jury, saving to the defendant the right of appeal; 
and no person shall be held to answer for any higher criminal offense, unless on presentment 
or indictment by a grand jury, except in cases arising in the army, or navy, or in the militia, 
when in actual service, in time of war or public danger. 
The grand jury may consist of any number of members not less than five, nor more than 
fifteen, as the general assembly may by law provide, or the general assembly may provide for 
holding persons to answer for any criminal offense without the intervention of a grand jury. 
Paragraph 1 amended by Amendment 46 (1998) 
Paragraph 2 added by Amendment 9 (1884)
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 21 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 21
Attainder — ex post facto law — obligation of contract. No bill of attainder, ex
Status: in_force

Sec. 21. Attainder — ex post facto law — obligation of contract. No bill of attainder, ex 
post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall ever be passed. 
Referred to in Iowa Code §12A.10, 12E.11, 15.105, 16.2
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 9 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 9
Right of trial by jury — due process of law. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate; but the general assembly may authorize trial by a jury of a less number than twelve men in inferior cour
Status: in_force

Sec. 9. Right of trial by jury — due process of law. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate; but the general assembly may authorize trial by a jury of a less number than twelve men in inferior courts; but no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 26 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 26
Time laws to take effect. An Act of the general assembly passed at a regular
Status: in_force

Sec. 26. Time laws to take effect. An Act of the general assembly passed at a regular 
session of a general assembly shall take effect on July 1 following its passage unless a different 
effective date is stated in an Act of the general assembly. An Act passed at a special session of a 
general assembly shall take effect ninety days after adjournment of the special session unless 
a different effective date is stated in an Act of the general assembly. The general assembly may 
establish by law a procedure for giving notice of the contents of Acts of immediate importance 
which become law. 
Repealed and rewritten by Amendment 40 (1986) 
Statutory provisions, see Iowa Code §3.7 et seq.
Iowa Const. art. 8, § 1 — Iowa Constitution / Article 8 / Section 1
How created. 2. Taxation of corporations. 3. State not to be a stockholder. 4. Municipal corporations. 5. Banking associations.
Status: in_force

SEC. 1. How created. 2. Taxation of corporations. 3. State not to be a stockholder. 4. Municipal corporations. 5. Banking associations.

6. State bank. 
7. Specie basis. 
8. General banking law. 
9. Stockholders’ responsibility. 
10. Billholders preferred. 
11. Specie payments — suspension. 
12. Amendment or repeal of laws 
— exclusive privileges.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 34 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 34
Senate and house of representatives — limitation. The senate shall be
Status: in_force

Sec. 34. Senate and house of representatives — limitation. The senate shall be 
composed of not more than fifty and the house of representatives of not more than one 
hundred members. Senators and representatives shall be elected from districts established 
by law. Each district so established shall be of compact and contiguous territory. The state 
shall be apportioned into senatorial and representative districts on the basis of population. 
The general assembly may provide by law for factors in addition to population, not in conflict 
with the Constitution of the United States, which may be considered in the apportioning of 
senatorial districts. No law so adopted shall permit the establishment of senatorial districts 
whereby a majority of the members of the senate shall represent less than forty percent of 
the population of the state as shown by the most recent United States decennial census. 
Repealed and rewritten by Amendment 26 (1968) 
See also this codified Iowa Constitution, Art. III, §6, 39
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 17 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 17
Bail — punishments. Excessive bail shall not be required; excessive fines shall not be imposed, and cruel and unusual punishment shall not be inflicted.
Status: in_force

Sec. 17. Bail — punishments. Excessive bail shall not be required; excessive fines shall not be imposed, and cruel and unusual punishment shall not be inflicted.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 38 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 38
Elections by general assembly. In all elections by the general assembly, the
Status: in_force

Sec. 38. Elections by general assembly. In all elections by the general assembly, the 
members thereof shall vote viva voce and the votes shall be entered on the journal.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 28 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 28
Lotteries. Repealed by Amendment 34 (1972).
Status: in_force

Sec. 28. Lotteries. Repealed by Amendment 34 (1972).
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 22 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 22
Resident aliens. Foreigners who are, or may hereafter become residents of this
Status: in_force

Sec. 22. Resident aliens. Foreigners who are, or may hereafter become residents of this 
state, shall enjoy the same rights in respect to the possession, enjoyment and descent of 
property, as native born citizens.
Iowa Const. art. 7, § 1 — Iowa Constitution / Article 7 / Section 1
Credit not to be loaned. 2. Limitation. 3. Losses to school funds. 4. War debts. 5. Contracting debt — submission to the people. 6. Legislature may repeal. 7. Tax imposed distinctly stated. 8. Motor v
Status: in_force

SEC. 1. Credit not to be loaned. 2. Limitation. 3. Losses to school funds. 4. War debts. 5. Contracting debt — submission to the people. 6. Legislature may repeal. 7. Tax imposed distinctly stated. 8. Motor vehicle fees and fuel taxes. 9. Fish and wildlife protection funds. 10. Natural resources.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 16 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 16
Treason. Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the evidenc
Status: in_force

Sec. 16. Treason. Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, unless on the evidence of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open court.
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 24 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 24
Agricultural leases. No lease or grant of agricultural lands, reserving any rent,
Status: in_force

Sec. 24. Agricultural leases. No lease or grant of agricultural lands, reserving any rent, 
or service of any kind, shall be valid for a longer period than twenty years. 
Referred to in Iowa Code §461A.25
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 30 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 30
Local or special laws — general and uniform — boundaries of counties. The
Status: in_force

Sec. 30. Local or special laws — general and uniform — boundaries of counties. The 
general assembly shall not pass local or special laws in the following cases: 
For the assessment and collection of taxes for state, county, or road purposes; 
For laying out, opening, and working roads or highways; 
For changing the names of persons; 
For the incorporation of cities and towns; 
For vacating roads, town plats, streets, alleys, or public squares; 
For locating or changing county seats. 
In all the cases above enumerated, and in all other cases where a general law can be made 
applicable, all laws shall be general, and of uniform operation throughout the state; and no 
law changing the boundary lines of any county shall have effect until upon being submitted 
to the people of the counties affected by the change, at a general election, it shall be approved 
by a majority of the votes in each county, cast for and against it. 
Laws uniform, see this codified Iowa Constitution, Art. I, §6
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 8 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 8
Personal security — searches and seizures. The right of the people to be secure
Status: in_force

Sec. 8. Personal security — searches and seizures. The right of the people to be secure 
in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable seizures and searches 
shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue but on probable cause, supported by oath or 
affirmation, particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons and things to 
be seized. 
Referred to in Iowa Code §190C.22, 717.2A, 717B.5
Iowa Const. art. 12, § 7 — Iowa Constitution / Article 12 / Section 7
Liberty of speech and press. Every person may speak, write, and publish his
Status: in_force

Sec. 7. Liberty of speech and press. Every person may speak, write, and publish his 
sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be 
passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech, or of the press. In all prosecutions or 
indictments for libel, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury, and if it appears* to the 
jury that the matter charged as libellous was true, and was published with good motives and 
for justifiable ends, the party shall be acquitted. 
*In the original text, the word is “appear”, see original Constitution, Art. I, §7
Iowa Const. art. 3, § 1 — Iowa Constitution / Article 3 / Section 1
Departments of government.
Status: in_force

SEC. 1. Departments of government.

2ND. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.

SEC. 1. General assembly. 2. Annual sessions of general assembly — special sessions. 3. Representatives. 4. Qualifications. 5. Senators — qualifications. 6. Senators — number and classification. 7. Officers — elections determined. 8. Quorum. 9. Authority of the houses. 10. Protest — record of vote. 11. Privileged from arrest. 12. Vacancies. 13. Doors open. 14. Adjournments. 15. Bills. 16. Executive approval — veto — item veto by governor. 17. Passage of bills. 18. Receipts and expenditures. 19. Impeachment. 20. Officers subject to impeachment — judgment. 21. Members not appointed to office. 22. Disqualification. 23. Failure to account. 24. Appropriations. 25. Compensation and expenses of general assembly. 26. Time laws to take effect. 27. Divorce. 28. Lotteries. [Repealed] 29. Acts — one subject — expressed in title. 30. Local or special laws — general and uniform — boundaries of counties. 31. Extra compensation — payment of claims —

appropriations for local 
or private purposes. 
32. Oath of members. 
33. Census. [Repealed] 
34. Senate and house of 
representatives — limitation. 
35. Senators and representatives 
— number and districts. 
36. Review by supreme court. 
37. Congressional districts. 
38. Elections by general assembly. 
38A. Municipal home rule. 
39. Legislative districts. 
39A. Counties home rule. 
40. Nullification of administrative 
rules.
Iowa Const. art. 11, § 1 — Iowa Constitution / Article 11 / Section 1
Justice of peace — jurisdiction. 2. Counties.
Status: in_force

SEC. 1. Justice of peace — jurisdiction. 2. Counties.

CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA (CODIFIED) iv

3. Indebtedness of political or 
municipal corporations. 
4. Boundaries of state. 
5. Oath of office. 
6. How vacancies filled. 
7. Land grants located. 
8. Seat of government established 
— state university.