Criminal Justice

passed · Iowa · House Mar 18, 2026

HF 2718: A bill for an act relating to the seizure of firearms, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2718, the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act," prohibits Iowa state agencies, law enforcement, and political subdivisions from enforcing any "red flag law" that orders the seizure of firearms from law-abiding citizens without a violent felony conviction. The bill defines "red flag law" as any federal or state law, order, or measure requiring firearm surrender except for those in custody after violent felony charges. It bans state entities from using federal funds to enforce such laws and imposes a $50,000 civil penalty per violation for agencies employing officers who knowingly enforce them. The act also allows affected individuals to sue for damages, injunctions, and attorney fees, taking effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBans enforcement of red flag laws, restricting law enforcement's ability to seize firearms under such orders, opposing a common criminal justice reform measure.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Law Enforcement

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signed · Iowa · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 2202: A bill for an act relating to controlled substances schedules and precursor substances reporting requirements, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2202 amends Iowa's controlled substances schedule to add 12 specific synthetic drugs, including various fentanyl analogs (like "Butonitazene" and "Flunitazene") and other novel compounds. The bill directly affects anyone possessing, distributing, or manufacturing these newly listed substances within Iowa. Violations involving these drugs would trigger existing penalties: a Class B felony (up to 25 years in prison and $5,000-$100,000 fine), a Class C felony (up to 10 years and $1,000-$50,000), or an aggravated misdemeanor. The bill aligns Iowa's schedule with federal designations from Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. It takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds synthetic drugs to controlled substances schedule, increasing felony penalties for possession/distribution, expanding criminalization within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 19, 2026

HF 2088: A bill for an act relating to fraudulent practices including providing a false social security number to an employer or prospective employer, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2088 makes it illegal for someone to provide a Social Security number that doesn't belong to them to an employer or prospective employer, whether to get a job, keep a job, or gain another benefit. The bill directly affects job seekers and workers who might try to use a false SSN. Penalties range from a class C felony (for higher-value fraud) to a simple misdemeanor, depending on the financial impact. This bill adds a specific criminal provision to Iowa's existing fraud laws targeting SSN misuse in employment contexts.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands criminalization by creating new offense for false SSN use in employment, aligning with 'oppose' indicator of expanding criminalization.95% confidence

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introduced · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HF 2119: A bill for an act relating to the possession of contraband in department of corrections facilities, and providing penalties.

HF 2119 defines "restricted or disruptive contraband" in Iowa correctional facilities as items not inherently illegal (like tobacco, cell phones, money, or synthetic cannabinoids) but prohibited for security reasons. It makes possessing such contraband a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison, with sentences served consecutively to any existing sentence. The bill also requires inmates to report contraband (failure is an aggravated misdemeanor) and authorizes X-ray searches of inmates suspected of carrying such items. This law directly affects inmates in Iowa Department of Corrections facilities and aims to enhance facility security by strengthening penalties for contraband possession.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill elevates contraband possession to class D felony (5-year sentence), expanding criminalization in correctional facilities rather than promoting reform or rehabilitation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 20, 2026

SF 2011: A bill for an act relating to mandatory minimum sentences for certain criminal offenses, and making penalties applicable.

This bill (SF 2011) changes parole eligibility requirements for specific criminal convictions in Iowa. It requires individuals convicted of certain offenses - including forcible felonies involving dangerous weapons, habitual offenders, methamphetamine crimes involving minors, child endangerment, and repeat domestic abuse assault - to serve a minimum of half their sentence before becoming eligible for parole (instead of shorter current terms). The bill directly affects people sentenced under these specific criminal provisions. These changes modify existing parole rules without altering the underlying conviction penalties or sentence lengths. The bill is currently under review by the Judiciary Subcommittee.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory parole eligibility requirements for violent/habitual offenders, extending incarceration periods and opposing reform efforts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Probation & Parole Sentencing

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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 · House Jan 28, 2026

HF 2130: A bill for an act relating to noncompliance with and circumvention of ignition interlock device requirements, and providing penalties.

HF 2130 strengthens penalties for drivers required to use ignition interlock devices (IIDs) after DUI convictions. It creates a simple misdemeanor offense for operating a vehicle without an approved IID installed or removing it without authorization, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $105-$855 fine. The bill also elevates tampering with or circumventing an IID to a serious misdemeanor and mandates automatic revocation of a temporary restricted license (TRL) for both violations. This directly affects individuals with DUI-related license restrictions who fail to comply with IID requirements.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeStrengthens penalties for DUI noncompliance, expanding criminalization rather than advancing reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 26, 2026

SSB 3021: A bill for an act relating to sexual exploitation of a minor and deferred and suspended sentences.

This bill (SSB 3021) changes sentencing rules for certain sexual exploitation offenses involving minors. It prohibits judges from granting deferred or suspended sentences to individuals convicted under Iowa Code section 728.12 when the victim was under 12 years old or prepubescent at the time of the offense. The key mechanism adds specific language to sentencing statutes (Code 907.3) to block these sentencing options in the most severe cases involving very young children. This directly affects offenders convicted of violating section 728.12 with prepubescent or under-12 victims, requiring standard sentences instead of deferred/suspended terms.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill prohibits deferred/suspended sentences for severe sexual exploitation of minors under 12, increasing mandatory sentencing and restricting judicial discretion per Code 907.3.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SF 2001: A bill for an act relating to the sale or offer for sale of certain firearm devices, and making penalties applicable.

This bill (SF 2001) restricts the sale or offer for sale of specific firearm devices known as "trigger cranks." A trigger crank is defined as a device attached to a firearm that repeatedly activates the trigger using a circular lever motion, excluding weapons originally designed to fire via crank. Selling such devices is classified as an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years in jail and fines up to $8,540. The bill clarifies and narrows the existing restriction to only apply to these specific devices, not all rapid-fire attachments.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new misdemeanor offense for selling trigger cranks, expanding criminalization of firearm accessories and increasing penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Firearms

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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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