Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 2, 2026

SF 2399: A bill for an act relating to bail and bond amounts and conditions.

SF 2399 sets minimum pretrial bond amounts for specific felony charges in Iowa: $500,000 for Class A felonies and $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000 for Class B, C, and D forcible felonies, respectively. Courts must consider public safety risks when setting bond, and these amounts are presumed reasonable unless a judge provides written justification for a lower amount. The bond schedule must be adjusted annually for inflation. The bill also requires the Department of Corrections to verify pretrial release evaluations before they are used by magistrates.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeSets higher minimum pretrial bonds, presuming reasonableness unless justified, reducing defendant release options and opposing reform efforts.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · House May 20, 2026

HF 2356: A bill for an act establishing the state public defender’s pilot project to implement innovative models of child welfare legal representation as the project to preserve families.

HF 2356 makes Iowa's temporary child welfare legal representation pilot program permanent as the "Project to Preserve Families" (PPF). It allows the state public defender to implement this program statewide (previously limited to 16 counties) for indigent families involved in child welfare cases. The program uses innovative legal approaches - such as team-based representation - to help keep families together, reduce trauma for children, and generate cost savings for communities. The public defender must coordinate with other agencies, study outcomes, and adopt rules to administer the PPF through 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands public defender program for child welfare cases to keep families together, reducing juvenile justice system involvement through preventive legal support85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · Senate May 6, 2026

SF 2379: A bill for an act relating to victim protections including victim counselors, protective orders, sex offender registration, rights of sexual abuse victims, mental competency and civil commitment, restitution, and victim rights, and including effective date provisions.

SF 2379 strengthens protections for crime victims by establishing strict confidentiality for communications between victims and certified victim counselors, prohibiting disclosure without written consent or in cases of imminent danger. It allows courts to issue lifetime protective orders for victims of sexual offenses, removing previous one-year limits and enabling unlimited extensions based on ongoing safety concerns. The bill also clarifies that confidentiality does not apply to evidence chain-of-custody matters or if a counselor suspects a victim provided false testimony. These changes directly affect victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes who use victim services or seek protective orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens victim protections via confidentiality, lifetime protective orders, and rights clarification - directly advancing victim-centered criminal justice reform.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2026

HF 2256: A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse.

HF 2256 expands Iowa's criteria for identifying a child as needing assistance (CINA) due to chemical dependency, mental health issues, or behavioral disorders. The bill allows courts to declare a child a CINA if they require treatment for serious chemical dependency, mental illness, or behavioral health issues that threaten safety or cause aggressive behavior, and the parent/guardian is unwilling or unable to secure that treatment. It removes an outdated subsection (232.96A(13)) to align the law with this expanded definition. This change directly affects children needing specialized treatment and their families when parents cannot or will not seek care.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands treatment access for youth with mental health/substance issues to prevent escalation to criminal justice system, aligning with reform goals.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to mental health/substance use treatment for children via CINA criteria, strengthening healthcare access for vulnerable youth.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2026

HF 523: A bill for an act relating to the ability of peace officers to file a petition for emergency protective orders on behalf of persons seeking relief from domestic abuse.

HF 523 allows peace officers in Iowa to file petitions for 72-hour emergency protective orders on behalf of domestic abuse victims who claim to be in immediate danger and request the officer's assistance. The bill amends Iowa Code 236.6 to permit this action, directly affecting victims who may be unable to file petitions themselves during urgent situations. Key provisions require the victim to both state they are in present danger of domestic abuse and specifically ask the officer to submit the petition. This change streamlines access to emergency protection without altering the legal standard for issuing such orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables peace officers to file emergency protective orders for domestic abuse victims, directly strengthening victim protection and law enforcement response within criminal justice system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 2697: A bill for an act relating to the payment of pecuniary damages, restitution, and prosecution costs.

HF 2697 allows courts in Iowa to order defendants to pay monetary compensation to victims as part of dismissing criminal charges or ordinance violations, with the consent of both the defendant and the prosecutor. This applies to "category B" restitution, which includes court costs, and directly affects defendants facing prosecution, victims seeking compensation, and prosecutors negotiating case resolutions. The bill changes existing law by giving courts this specific authority during dismissal agreements, rather than requiring full conviction. It does not alter criminal penalties but provides an alternative path for victims to receive financial restitution.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables courts to order defendant restitution to victims during case dismissal, supporting victim compensation in criminal justice.70% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Iowa · House Apr 9, 2026

HF 2571: A bill for an act relating to the Iowa rules of criminal procedure including commitment hearings following an acquittal based on insanity.

HF 2571 updates Iowa's criminal procedure rules for commitment hearings after a defendant is found not guilty by reason of insanity. It requires courts to consider seven specific factors - such as the original offense, past violent behavior, current mental health, substance use history, and how the person functions outside structured settings - not just recent actions when deciding if someone remains dangerous. The bill explicitly states that the absence of recent dangerous acts should not be the sole factor, as highly structured environments (like hospitals) may suppress behavior that could emerge in less controlled settings. This directly affects individuals acquitted by insanity who face potential civil commitment hearings.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires courts to evaluate mental health, history, and functioning - not just recent acts - for dangerousness post-insanity acquittal, promoting nuanced assessments over automatic commitment.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · Iowa · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SF 634: A bill for an act relating to registration fees for persons on the sex offender registry.

SF 634 increases the annual registration fee for sex offenders in Iowa from $25 to $50. This fee must be paid to the sheriff in the offender's county of principal residence, beginning with their first required in-person appearance after July 1, 2009. If an offender cannot pay upfront, sheriffs may allow installment payments or waive the fee. The collected fees are specifically designated to cover costs related to sex offender registration under the law. The bill directly affects individuals required to register as sex offenders in Iowa.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases fees specifically to fund sex offender registration costs, directly supporting operational funding of the registry system within criminal justice.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

passed · Iowa · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SF 2283: A bill for an act relating to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by law enforcement officers.

Iowa's SF 2283 restricts law enforcement use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) for general traffic enforcement, prohibiting state or local police from using them except in specific situations. The bill allows certified officers to operate drones only to assist in apprehending drivers fleeing police during a pursuit under Iowa Code §321.279, and to cite traffic violations committed during that pursuit. Operators must hold FAA certification, register drones with the FAA, avoid controlled airspace, and follow aviation notices, with noncompliance making them liable for damages. Evidence collected by drones under this exception is admissible in criminal cases against fleeing drivers, but otherwise drone-collected information is inadmissible in court unless obtained with a search warrant.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts police drone use for traffic enforcement, limiting surveillance capabilities to enhance accountability and protect civil rights per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

Track

signed · Iowa · Senate May 19, 2025

SF 474: A bill for an act relating to services and support for youth, including treatment, physical assessments, and behavioral health evaluations for youth involved in juvenile delinquency and child in need of assistance proceedings; the licensing and certification of certain residential facilities; the provision of home and community-based services and habilitation services to certain youth by residential programs; administration and supervision of juvenile court services; and the suspension of Hawki eligibility for inmates of public institutions.

This bill updates laws concerning services and support for youth under 21, especially those involved in involuntary commitment, juvenile delinquency, or child and family in need of assistance proceedings. It revises regulations for psychiatric medical institutions for children (PMICs), updating definitions and requiring them to provide comprehensive care that includes physical assessments and behavioral health evaluations. The bill also addresses the licensing and certification of other residential facilities, the provision of home and community-based services to youth, and the administration of juvenile court services. Finally, it modifies Hawki eligibility for inmates of public institutions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill improves rehabilitation services for youth in juvenile delinquency, enhancing treatment and behavioral health evaluations to support criminal justice reform and reduce recidivism.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands behavioral health services, requires physical assessments, and strengthens care for youth in juvenile proceedings, improving access to mental health support.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice