This bill expands Iowa's victim compensation fund to cover emergency contraception and health care treatment for sexual assault victims, including abortion services. It directly affects victims of sexual assault who seek these specific medical treatments. The key change amends the fund's authorized uses to explicitly include reimbursement for emergency contraception, other health care, and abortion as part of victim care. The fund, administered by the Department of Justice, will now cover these costs alongside existing provisions like medical examinations and venereal disease treatment. This is a policy change to broaden access to covered medical services for sexual assault victims.
This bill standardizes the handling of sexual abuse evidence collection kits in Iowa. It requires health care providers to use kits during forensic exams, notify law enforcement within 24 hours, and document transfers in a tracking system. Law enforcement must pick up kits within 3 days, store them for 50 years (or until a minor reaches adulthood), and send them to labs for DNA analysis within 7 days. Labs must complete testing within 30 days and enter results into national/state DNA databases, while mandating annual reports on kit inventory for all involved agencies. The law directly affects health care providers, law enforcement, labs, and victims by creating clear timelines and accountability for evidence preservation and analysis.
This bill changes how voters who register on election day or cast an in-person absentee ballot cast their votes. It requires these voters to cast a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot, regardless of whether the polling place has electronic verification. The absentee and special voters precinct board must then verify the voter's eligibility (including felony conviction status and voting rights restoration) using a state database before counting the ballot. This replaces current law, which allowed some voters to receive a regular ballot if electronic verification confirmed their eligibility.
This bill (HSB 39) allows Iowa courts to place children facing delinquency charges in supervised apartment living arrangements - as an alternative to foster care - as part of a court-approved agreement (consent decree), provided the court determines it is the least restrictive option. It requires the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to cover the cost of such placements if the apartment meets HHS-established rules. The bill directly affects children in pending delinquency cases, courts making placement decisions, and HHS in managing funding. It expands existing placement options beyond traditional foster care while adding oversight requirements for state-funded arrangements.
HSB 13 modifies Iowa's indigent defense law by changing liability rules for court-appointed attorneys. It states that noncontract attorneys appointed by courts (without their consent) accused of ineffective counsel will be treated as state employees under Chapter 669, meaning the state - not the attorney - will defend and cover any damages from malpractice claims. This directly affects indigent defendants, court-appointed lawyers (especially noncontract attorneys), and the state government, which assumes liability for legal claims arising from representation. The bill does not alter who qualifies for appointed counsel but shifts responsibility for legal malpractice claims from individual attorneys to the state.
This bill creates a "Hope Card" program for domestic abuse victims in Iowa who have obtained court orders protecting them from abuse (either temporary orders under §236.4 or protective orders under §236.5). County clerks must issue these free cards within three business days of an order being granted, containing the victim’s and abuser’s names, case details, and order expiration dates. Cards remain valid for up to two years or until the court order expires, and may be digital or physical. Presenting a fake Hope Card as genuine is a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $855 fine.
HF 591 creates a faster appeals process for individuals sentenced to jail or fines in contempt of court cases. It requires courts to hold a review hearing within 24 hours of an appeal being filed (with appeals due within 4 hours of the ruling) and gives appellate courts the authority to pause enforcement or change the contempt ruling. The law directs the Supreme Court to establish rules for handling these expedited appeals, including electronic filing options. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.
SSB 1127 streamlines the process for sealing juvenile court records in Iowa. Courts must now automatically schedule sealing hearings two years after a case ends or when the person turns 18 (whichever is later), eliminating the need for individuals to apply. For serious offenses (like felonies or aggravated misdemeanors), sealing still requires a court hearing if the state objects, but otherwise allows records to be sealed unless specific conditions apply. The bill also mandates that courts proactively identify and seal all eligible pre-existing juvenile records within one year of enactment.
HF 487 modifies Iowa's drug paraphernalia laws to exempt specific harm reduction tools from criminal penalties. It explicitly excludes fentanyl/xylazine test strips, drug-checking equipment, and materials used by authorized harm reduction organizations (like public health departments) from the definition of "drug paraphernalia." The bill protects individuals from arrest, housing loss, or other penalties when using these tools for testing substances, and prohibits using drug-checking results as evidence in court. It also permits state opioid settlement funds to support these activities, directly affecting people who use substance-checking services and harm reduction programs.
SF 343 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Justice to fund nonprofit organizations operating sexual assault forensic examination centers. Eligible nonprofits must be Iowa-incorporated, employ sexual assault nurse examiners, maintain dedicated treatment facilities for survivors, and prioritize sexual assault care as their primary mission. The program requires grantees to provide medical forensic services to all survivors - including adults, children, people with disabilities, and rural Iowans - while offering trainings for medical staff, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public on sexual assault services and prevention. Grantees must submit annual reports to the Attorney General and may seek additional funding, though the state grant covers general operating costs without making them state agencies.
