Criminal Justice (Human Trafficking) in Iowa

died · Iowa · House May 14, 2025

HF 452: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking, including screening children, civil statutes of limitations, an annual stakeholder meeting and report, depositions of victims, restitution, restorative facilities and protective services, and investigation and prosecution, and making appropriations.

HF 452 aims to combat human trafficking by implementing several new provisions. The bill requires children subject to certain complaints or abuse allegations to be screened for commercial sexual exploitation and mandates substance use disorder screenings for children prior to their final dispositional hearing. It extends the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse and human trafficking, allowing more time to file legal actions. Additionally, the bill permits video depositions for human trafficking victims in criminal prosecutions to potentially ease the burden of in-person testimony. Finally, it establishes an annual meeting of various stakeholders to develop legislative proposals to further combat human trafficking.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

died · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 831: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking, including the establishment of human trafficking prosecution units and the remittance of wire transmission fees to the office to combat human trafficking.

HF 831 establishes two specialized human trafficking prosecution units within Iowa's Department of Justice - one serving western Iowa and one serving eastern Iowa, divided by Interstate 35. These units, staffed by prosecutors, investigators, victim services, healthcare providers, and community partners, will investigate trafficking cases, prosecute offenders, and support victims. The bill also requires money transfer companies to collect a $5 fee per transaction under $500 (plus 2% on amounts over $500) and remit these fees quarterly to the Office to Combat Human Trafficking. Customers who file tax returns with valid ID can claim a tax credit for fees paid during the year. The funds directly support the Office's anti-trafficking efforts.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 669: A bill for an act relating to the expungement of certain criminal history records of victims of human trafficking, and including penalties.

This bill allows victims of human trafficking in Iowa to petition courts to remove certain criminal records from public access. It directly affects individuals who committed offenses (like drug possession or prostitution) while being trafficked, enabling them to clear these records through a simplified court process. Key provisions include no filing fees, requiring only a sworn statement (with official victim documentation as evidence), and creating a presumption of trafficking victim status when documentation is provided. Serious crimes like homicide, sexual abuse, or kidnapping are excluded from this expungement. The bill was withdrawn in March 2025 and never became law.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Human Trafficking Violent Crime

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 747: A bill for an act providing for a human trafficking task force and an annual report to the general assembly.

HF 747 creates a state human trafficking task force to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts and improve victim support. The task force, established by the public safety commissioner, identifies existing victim services, develops public education materials, and makes recommendations to combat trafficking. It must submit annual findings to the general assembly by November 1, which will be included in the office’s existing annual report. This directly affects state agencies (like law enforcement and corrections), victims of trafficking, and the public through improved coordination and awareness resources.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

died · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 463: A bill for an act establishing human trafficking prosecution units.

HF 463 creates two specialized human trafficking prosecution units within Iowa's Department of Justice, one serving western Iowa and the other eastern Iowa (divided by Interstate 35). These units will bring together prosecutors, investigators, law enforcement, victim services, healthcare professionals, and community advocates to investigate, prosecute human trafficking cases, and support victims. The units will also provide community training and technical assistance to raise awareness. The bill directly affects victims of human trafficking and requires coordination between the Attorney General's office, public safety, and health agencies. It defines "human trafficking" using the existing legal standard from Iowa Code section 710A.1.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

died · Iowa · House May 14, 2025

HF 908: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking, including screening children, civil statutes of limitations, an annual stakeholder meeting and report, depositions of victims, restitution, restorative facilities and protective services, and investigation and prosecution, and making appropriations.

HF 908 aims to combat human trafficking by implementing new screening procedures for children and extending civil statutes of limitations for victims. The bill mandates the use of standardized tools to screen children involved in court complaints or child abuse allegations for commercial sexual exploitation and substance use. It also extends the time frame for survivors of child sexual abuse or human trafficking to file civil actions to five years after reaching adulthood. Additionally, the legislation establishes an annual stakeholder meeting to develop further legislative proposals, prevents the prosecution of minors involved in prostitution, and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to plan for increased restoration facilities for juvenile victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Juvenile Justice Victims' Rights

died · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 1011: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking, including the establishment of human trafficking prosecution units and the remittance of wire transmission fees to the office to combat human trafficking.

Bill HF 1011 establishes two human trafficking prosecution units within the Department of Justice, one for the eastern and one for the western half of the state. These multidisciplinary teams will identify, investigate, and prosecute human trafficking cases while providing care and support for victims. To fund these initiatives, the bill introduces a new fee on wire transmissions, collected from customers by money transfer services. This fee, $5 for transfers up to $500 and an additional 2% on amounts over $500, will be remitted to the Office to Combat Human Trafficking, and customers can claim an individual income tax credit for the fees paid.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

signed · Iowa · House May 19, 2026

HF 1036: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking, including screening children, civil statutes of limitations, an annual stakeholder meeting and report, depositions of victims, restitution, restorative facilities and protective services, and investigation and prosecution, and including effective date provisions.

HF 1036 aims to combat human trafficking by implementing several measures, primarily affecting child victims and those involved in the justice and social services systems. It mandates standardized screening for commercial sexual exploitation for children in certain court and child abuse cases and directs the Department of Health and Human Services to plan for increased restoration facilities for juvenile victims. The bill also extends the civil statute of limitations for actions related to child sexual abuse or human trafficking to five years after reaching majority or discovery. Additionally, it prevents the prosecution of minors under 18 who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, instead referring them to protective services, and establishes an annual stakeholder meeting to develop legislative proposals.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Juvenile Justice Victims' Rights

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SJR 5: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa eliminating involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime.

This bill proposes amending Iowa's constitution to eliminate involuntary servitude as a legal punishment for crime. It replaces the current constitutional language by stating there shall be "no slavery, nor involuntary servitude" and allows courts or probation agencies to order community service or other alternatives to incarceration as part of sentencing. The change directly affects individuals convicted of crimes in Iowa, shifting sentencing options away from forced labor. If approved by voters, this constitutional amendment would take effect after the required election process.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Probation & Parole Sentencing

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 741: A bill for an act relating to human trafficking including law enforcement intervention and victims, and making penalties applicable.

HF 741 amends Iowa's human trafficking laws to clarify and expand key definitions. It explicitly includes knowingly purchasing services involving commercial sexual activity from undercover law enforcement officers posing as trafficking victims as a form of human trafficking. The bill also broadens the definition of "victim" to include people targeted for trafficking or identified as such, not just those currently subjected to it. These changes ensure penalties - ranging from class D to class A felonies - apply to traffickers engaging in these specific acts. The bill focuses on strengthening legal tools for law enforcement intervention and victim protection.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

All criminal justice bills