Criminal Justice (Drug Policy)

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HSB 528: A bill for an act relating to controlled substances schedules and precursor substances reporting requirements, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

This bill adds 13 specific synthetic opioids and related compounds - including Butonitazene, Flunitazene, and several fentanyl analogs - to Iowa’s Schedule I controlled substances list. It directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or manufacturing these chemicals, as violations could result in Class B felony charges (25-year minimum prison term) or other severe penalties. The bill aligns Iowa’s controlled substances schedule with federal designations under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. It takes immediate effect upon enactment, with penalties including fines up to $100,000 for the most serious offenses.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill adds synthetic opioids to Schedule I, imposing Class B felony (25-year minimum) for violations, increasing penalties and expanding criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SF 2013: A bill for an act designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

SF 2013 would classify kratom (any part of the Mitragyna speciosa plant, including its compounds) as a Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. This would directly affect anyone possessing kratom, with penalties escalating based on prior offenses: first offenses face a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail, up to $2,560 fine), subsequent offenses become aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, up to $8,540), and third+ offenses would be class D felonies (up to 5 years, up to $10,245). The bill establishes these specific penalty tiers through amendments to Iowa's controlled substances code. The bill was introduced in January 2026 and referred to the Judiciary Committee for review.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by classifying kratom as Schedule I with escalating penalties (misdemeanors to felonies), increasing mandatory sentencing for possession.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 27, 2026

HF 2133: A bill for an act designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2133 designates kratom (including all parts of the Mitragyna speciosa plant and its derivatives like mitragynine) as a hallucinogenic Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. This bill directly affects anyone possessing kratom, imposing escalating penalties: a first offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and up to $2,560 fine), subsequent offenses become aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years jail, up to $8,540 fine), and a third conviction is a class D felony (up to 5 years jail, up to $10,245 fine). The law creates new criminal penalties for possession without specifying medical or personal use exceptions. The bill was introduced on January 21, 2026, and remains pending.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeDesignates kratom as Schedule I with escalating penalties, expanding criminalization of substance use per controlled substances policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HSB 508: A bill for an act designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

HSB 508 would designate kratom (including all parts of the Mitragyna speciosa plant and its derivatives like mitragynine) as a Schedule I controlled substance in Iowa. This bill directly affects anyone possessing kratom, imposing tiered penalties: a first offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year jail, $430-$2,560 fine), subsequent offenses are aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, $855-$8,540), and three or more prior convictions become a Class D felony (up to 5 years, $1,025-$10,245). The key mechanism establishes these escalating criminal penalties based on the number of prior violations. This is a substantive policy change, not a procedural measure, and would significantly restrict legal access to kratom in Iowa.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill criminalizes kratom possession with tiered penalties, expanding criminalization and increasing sentencing - directly opposing criminal justice reform goals of reducing unnecessary incarceration.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2159: A bill for an act designating kava as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

This Iowa bill (HF 2159) reclassifies kava - a plant substance used recreationally - as a Schedule I controlled substance under state law. It directly affects anyone possessing kava in Iowa, with penalties escalating based on prior offenses: a first-time offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and $2,560 fine), subsequent offenses are aggravated misdemeanors (up to 2 years, $8,540 fine), and three or more prior convictions make it a class D felony (up to 5 years, $10,245 fine). The bill defines kava broadly to include all parts of the *piper methysticum* plant and synthetic equivalents. It does not change federal scheduling but imposes state-level criminal penalties for possession. The bill was introduced to the Public Safety committee on January 26, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill reclassifies kava as Schedule I controlled substance, imposing escalating criminal penalties (misdemeanors/felony) for possession, directly expanding criminalization and increasing sentencing severity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HSB 510: A bill for an act relating to the possession of contraband in department of corrections facilities, and providing penalties.

HB 510 creates new criminal penalties for possessing "restricted or disruptive contraband" in Iowa's correctional facilities, including county jails and state prisons. It defines such contraband as items like tobacco, cell phones, money, or synthetic drugs (unless covered under other laws), which facilities prohibit for security reasons. Possessing this contraband is a class D felony (up to 5 years in prison), while failing to report it is an aggravated misdemeanor. The bill requires any sentence for this offense to be served consecutively to the inmate's existing sentence and authorizes facility X-rays to detect hidden contraband.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeImposes class D felony penalties for contraband possession in prisons, expanding criminalization and increasing sentences without reform elements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SSB 3035: A bill for an act relating to controlled substances schedules and precursor substances reporting requirements, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

This bill adds specific synthetic opioids and related compounds to Iowa's most restrictive controlled substances schedule. It directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or manufacturing these substances, including new fentanyl variants like "Butonitazene" and "Flunitazene," as well as compounds like "Metodesnitazene" and "ethylphenidate." The law establishes penalties: violations can result in a Class B felony (25-year minimum prison term plus $5,000-$100,000 fine), Class C felony, or aggravated misdemeanor. The changes align Iowa's law with federal chemical designations under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds synthetic opioids to strictest drug schedule with 25-year minimums, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties - directly opposes reform by hardening sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

5521DP: Controlled Substances (5521DP) - Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Department of

This bill adds 15 specific synthetic drugs - including fentanyl analogs like "Butonitazene," "Flunitazene," and "para-chlorofentanyl," plus compounds like "dipentylone" and "ethylphenidate" - to Iowa's controlled substances schedule under Section 124.204. It updates Iowa's law to align with federal designations in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Violating these new schedule classifications carries penalties: class B felony (25-year mandatory minimum + $5,000-$100,000 fine), class C felony (up to 10 years + $1,000-$50,000), or aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years + $855-$8,540). The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds synthetic drugs to controlled substances schedule with 25-year mandatory minimums, expanding criminalization and harsh sentencing per bill's penalties95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Sentencing

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died · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2025

HF 14: A bill for an act relating to the controlled substance crystalline polymorph psilocybin.

HF 14 would remove the pharmaceutical form of psilocybin (specifically crystalline polymorph psilocybin, also known as COMP 360) from Iowa's Schedule I controlled substances list once approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It directs Iowa to align with federal rescheduling under the Controlled Substances Act, making it lawful to prescribe, distribute, and market this specific pharmaceutical product after FDA approval. The bill directly affects medical providers, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical companies seeking to legally offer this approved treatment. It does not change current penalties for non-pharmaceutical psilocybin possession, which remain classified as a serious misdemeanor or class B felony.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves specific psilocybin from Schedule I, reducing criminal penalties for medical use and aligning with reform by decreasing criminalization of pharmaceutical treatments.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves Schedule I barrier for FDA-approved psilocybin treatment, enabling mental health care access for medical providers and patients.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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died · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2025

HF 365: A bill for an act establishing a cause of action for murder in the first degree by causing the death of another by delivering, dispensing, or providing fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance, and making penalties applicable.

HF 365 would create a new criminal charge of murder in the first degree for anyone who unlawfully delivers, dispenses, or provides fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances that directly causes another person's death through injection, inhalation, absorption, or ingestion. This law would apply specifically to individuals who distribute these drugs, making the act a class "A" felony punishable by life imprisonment without parole. The bill explicitly states that a victim's own drug use or consent cannot be used as a defense against this charge. It does not affect users or those who possess fentanyl for personal use, only those who supply it to others resulting in death.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates first-degree murder charge for fentanyl distribution with life without parole, increasing mandatory sentences and expanding criminalization in drug-related deaths.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Probation & Parole

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