A bill for an act designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

HSB 508 would designate kratom (including all parts of the Mitragyna speciosa plant and its derivatives like mitragynine) as a Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. This bill directly affects anyone possessing kratom, imposing tiered penalties: a first offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail, $430-$2,560 fine), subsequent offenses are aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, $855-$8,540), and three or more prior convictions become a Class D felony (up to 5 years, $1,025-$10,245). The key mechanism establishes these escalating criminal penalties based on the number of prior violations. This is a substantive policy change, not a procedural measure, and would significantly restrict legal access to kratom in Iowa.