Iowa Code Title I. State Sovereignty and Management [Chs. 1-38D] § 17A.23. Construction--delegation of authority

1. Except as expressly provided otherwise by this chapter or by another statute referring to this chapter by name, the rights created and the requirements imposed by this chapter shall be in addition to those created or imposed by every other statute in existence on July 1, 1975, or enacted after that date. If any other statute in existence on July 1, 1975, or enacted after that date diminishes a right conferred upon a person by this chapter or diminishes a requirement imposed upon an agency by this chapter, this chapter shall take precedence unless the other statute expressly provides that it shall take precedence over all or some specified portion of this cited chapter.

2. This chapter shall be construed broadly to effectuate its purposes. This chapter shall also be construed to apply to all agencies not expressly exempted by this chapter or by another statute specifically referring to this chapter by citation; and except as to proceedings in process on July 1, 1975, this chapter shall be construed to apply to all covered agency proceedings and all agency action not expressly exempted by this chapter or by another statute specifically referring to this chapter by citation.

3. An agency shall have only that authority or discretion delegated to or conferred upon the agency by law and shall not expand or enlarge its authority or discretion beyond the powers delegated to or conferred upon the agency. Unless otherwise specifically provided in statute, a grant of rulemaking authority shall be construed narrowly.

4. An agency shall not implement or enforce any standard, requirement, or threshold, including any term or condition of a permit or license issued by the agency, unless that standard, requirement, or threshold is clearly required or clearly permitted by a state statute, rule adopted pursuant to this chapter, or a federal statute or regulation, or is required by a court ruling, a state or federal executive order, a state or federal directive that would result in the gain or loss of specific funding, or a federal waiver.