Criminal Justice

HF 298 allows youth involved in juvenile court cases (delinquency petitions) to be placed in supervised apartment living arrangements under a consent decree, rather than traditional facilities. The bill specifies when the state must cover the cost of these placements for eligible youth. It directly affects minors in the juvenile justice system and their legal representatives by creating a new placement option with clear state funding requirements. The law establishes that state payment applies when the placement is part of a court-approved consent decree. This changes how juvenile justice cases handle housing for youth awaiting court decisions.

HF 570 creates a new credit system for Iowa defendants on probation, allowing them to reduce their probation time based on compliance, education, or employment. It provides a 14-day reduction per full compliant month (discharge credit), 90 days for earning a diploma or vocational certification (educational credit), and 30 days for six months of verifiable employment (30+ hours/week, workforce credit). These credits can reduce probation by up to 40% and must be verified by probation officers using documents like pay stubs or certificates. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and requires annual reporting on credit usage, though it excludes specialized courts unless they adopt the provisions.

HF 602 allows courts to let minor witnesses testify remotely via two-way video equipment instead of in the same courtroom as the defendant, when testifying in person would cause trauma that impairs their communication. This directly affects minors involved in court cases - particularly criminal proceedings - where facing the defendant could be harmful. The bill requires the court to specifically find that remote testimony is necessary, mandates a separate room with two-way audio/video for the minor, and restricts who can be present with the minor during testimony (only the judge, attorneys, equipment operators, and essential support staff). Current law lacked this two-way video requirement, so the bill updates the procedure to better protect minors' well-being during testimony.