Criminal Justice

passed · Iowa · Senate May 15, 2025

SF 395: A bill for an act relating to illegal gaming, and making penalties applicable.

SF 395 expands the definition of illegal gaming under Iowa law. The bill defines "account sharing" as sharing access to a gambling account to conceal a person's identity, and "proxy betting" as placing a wager on behalf of another to hide their identity. It adds these two activities, along with delivering funds received for a fee outside a gambling structure for wagering, to the list of prohibited acts considered illegal gaming. Individuals found engaging in these activities would be subject to existing criminal penalties for illegal gaming, which range from serious misdemeanors to class "C" felonies based on the amount involved and any prior offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization of gambling activities by adding new prohibited acts (account sharing, proxy betting) to illegal gaming, increasing penalties under criminal law without reform elements.85% confidence

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

5393XD: Scheduling of Kratom as a Controlled Substance (5393XD) - Public Safety, Department of

This Iowa bill (5393XD) designates kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance, making possession illegal. It directly affects anyone in Iowa who possesses kratom products containing the alkaloids mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine. The law creates tiered penalties: a first-time possession offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and a $430-$2,560 fine), subsequent offenses are aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years and $855-$8,540), and three or more prior convictions make it a class D felony (up to 5 years and $1,025-$10,245). The bill defines kratom broadly to include both natural plant products and synthetic versions containing these specific alkaloids.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCriminalizes kratom possession with tiered penalties, expanding criminalization and increasing sentences, opposing criminal justice reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1331DP: Theft of Public Funds (1331DP) - Auditor of State

This bill makes it mandatory for courts to impose prison time when public employees or officials steal over $10,000 from government entities. It prevents judges from delaying sentences or suspending prison terms unless the defendant proves with strong evidence that special circumstances warrant a lighter sentence. The law defines "public employee" broadly to include contractors and vendors, and "public employer" to cover state agencies, school districts, and local governments. This applies to all cases where the theft exceeds $10,000 and involves someone in a public role.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPrevents theft of public funds, promoting fiscal responsibility and protecting state budget integrity through mandatory sentencing for embezzlement.80% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates prison sentences for public fund theft without judicial discretion, increasing mandatory sentencing which opposes criminal justice reform efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1057XD: Assaults, Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations and by Inmates (1057XD) - Attorney General

This Iowa bill (1057XD) upgrades penalties for assaults against specific public safety and service workers, including peace officers, correctional staff, healthcare providers, firefighters, and others. It increases penalties to a class "C" felony for assaults with intent to cause serious injury or involving dangerous weapons, and to a class "D" felony for causing bodily injury or mental illness. For inmates, it makes assaults involving bodily fluids (like spitting) against correctional staff a class "D" felony, requiring a minimum seven-day prison sentence. The bill directly affects anyone who assaults these designated workers while knowing their occupation, with stricter penalties than current law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill upgrades assault penalties to felony for attacks on public safety workers, expanding criminalization and increasing severity of sentencing.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly protects healthcare providers from assault via upgraded penalties, supporting workforce safety in healthcare delivery.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases felony penalties for assaults against protected workers (e.g., healthcare, correctional staff), directly enhancing workplace safety protections for specific occupations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Mental Health

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1055XD: Criminal Procedure, Defense Subpoenas (1055XD) - Attorney General

This Iowa bill (1055XD) requires criminal defendants or their attorneys to get court approval before obtaining subpoenas for documents or evidence, rather than issuing them directly. To get approval, defendants must prove the evidence is necessary, directly related to proving innocence, and doesn’t include private information of victims or others (except the defendant’s own private details). The court must review applications openly (not secretly), and any evidence obtained must be shared with prosecutors within five business days. Evidence obtained without following these rules cannot be used in trial, and attorneys who violate the process may face sanctions. The bill affects defendants, prosecutors, and crime victims who might receive subpoenas.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRequires court approval for defense subpoenas, adding procedural barriers that restrict defendant access to evidence and reduce defense capabilities, directly opposing defendant rights in criminal proceedings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1198XD: Right to Confront Certain Witnesses, Constitutional Amendment (1198XD) - Attorney General

This proposed constitutional amendment (1198XD) would allow Iowa law to limit an accused person's right to directly confront certain witnesses. It specifically targets children under 18 and witnesses with mental illness, intellectual disability, or other developmental disabilities. If adopted, the amendment would enable future legislation to restrict this confrontation right to protect those vulnerable witnesses. The proposal must first pass the legislature and then be approved by Iowa voters before becoming part of the state constitution. It does not change current laws but creates a pathway for future legal changes.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts defendant's right to confront vulnerable witnesses (children, disabled individuals), weakening due process in criminal trials.95% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2025

HF 25: A bill for an act relating to the commission of a criminal offense while wearing a mask, clothing, or device to conceal the identity of the wearer, and providing penalties.

HF 25 increases penalties for individuals convicted of a criminal offense who intentionally conceal their identity using a mask, clothing, or device to facilitate the crime. If convicted, the underlying offense is classified and punished as one degree higher. The bill explicitly exempts traditional holiday costumes, occupational safety masks (e.g., for construction), theatrical performances, emergency gas masks, permitted group activities (like parades), medical/surgical masks, and motorcycle helmets. It focuses solely on escalating penalties for identity concealment during criminal acts, not creating new offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties by elevating offense classification for identity concealment during crimes, expanding criminalization without reform elements.95% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2025

HF 17: A bill for an act relating to surgical castration for certain sex offenses.

HF 17 would require courts to order surgical castration for individuals convicted of specific severe sex offenses against children under age 12, as defined in Iowa law. This applies to offenses like sexual abuse in the first degree, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and similar crimes where the victim was a minor. The court must first obtain a medical expert’s determination that the procedure is appropriate, and the castration must occur before release on probation or parole (within one week of release if confined). The bill covers only cases where the victim was under 12 at the time of the offense, with no effect on other sex offense convictions.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeMandates surgical castration for severe child sex offenses, increasing mandatory punishment rather than promoting reform or rehabilitation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HF 138: A bill for an act relating to the Iowa rules of criminal procedure including the right to a speedy trial.

HF 138 would require Iowa's Supreme Court to revise criminal procedure rules to extend the deadline for bringing a defendant to trial from 90 days to 120 days after an indictment is filed or after a venue change is granted by the court. This change directly affects criminal defendants facing potential trial delays in Iowa courts. The bill mandates the revised rules be submitted to the legislative council for review by October 14, 2025, and takes effect immediately upon enactment. The current rule requires trial within 90 days, making this an extension of the existing timeline.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExtends trial deadline from 90 to 120 days, reducing defendant's right to speedy trial per criminal procedure rules, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 24: A bill for an act relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees, and providing penalties.

This bill increases penalties for assaults against specific public safety and healthcare workers, including peace officers, correctional staff, firefighters, healthcare providers, and Department of Corrections employees. It upgrades certain assaults to higher felony classifications (e.g., class C felony for assaults with intent to cause serious injury or involving weapons) and designates spitting or bodily fluid contact as an aggravated misdemeanor requiring a minimum 7-day jail term. The bill also creates a new class D felony for inmates who assault Corrections employees using bodily fluids like blood or saliva. These provisions directly affect individuals committing such assaults and the protected occupations listed in the law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for assaults on correctional staff, expanding criminalization and mandatory sentences within correctional systems.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly protects healthcare providers from assault by increasing penalties, directly supporting healthcare worker safety within the topic's scope.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects healthcare, public safety, and correctional workers from assault through enhanced penalties, directly improving workplace safety standards for these occupations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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