Criminal Justice (Firearms)

HF 2696 allows victims of human trafficking to petition courts to expunge criminal records related to offenses committed while they were trafficked. To qualify, petitioners must submit a sworn statement (with penalties for false claims) and may provide official victim documentation (though it's not required). The bill excludes serious crimes like homicide, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and robbery from expungement, and requires that cleared records remain confidential except for law enforcement and firearm background checks.

HF 2144 allows victims of human trafficking to petition courts to remove criminal records related to offenses committed while they were victims. It requires a sworn statement and official documentation (if available), waives all filing fees, and grants expungement if the court finds the offenses resulted from the victimization. Serious crimes like homicide, sexual abuse, kidnapping, and robbery are excluded from eligibility. Once granted, expunged records become confidential but remain accessible to law enforcement and for firearm background checks. This applies to records from arrests or charges, regardless of case outcome.

This bill creates "extreme risk protective orders" allowing family members, intimate partners, or police to petition courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals posing an immediate danger to themselves or others. Petitions require specific evidence of danger (supported by an affidavit) and must detail the firearms involved, with all filing fees waived. Law enforcement can serve these orders during routine stops using a simplified "short-form notification" process, requiring immediate firearm surrender. The order is temporary and requires a court hearing within a short timeframe to determine its continuation.

This bill, Iowa's "Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman Firearm Regulation Act," requires background checks for pistol and revolver purchases from any seller (not just dealers), prohibits sales to those under 21, and mandates unique serial numbers for homemade firearms by December 2026. It also requires identification markings on all firearms and unfinished frames/receivers, prohibits altering or removing these marks, and includes provisions for extreme risk protective orders and mental health funding. The law directly affects firearm manufacturers, sellers, and buyers by adding new registration and marking requirements for homemade weapons and tightening background check processes for pistols. Key mechanisms include the new serial number system for homemade firearms, age restrictions on pistol purchases, and penalties for tampering with identification marks.

HF 668 creates legal immunity from criminal and civil lawsuits for people who use reasonable force in self-defense, defense of others, or protection of property. It establishes a presumption that the person reasonably believed force was necessary to stop imminent unlawful force. The bill requires law enforcement to have probable cause before arresting someone for justified force use and mandates a pretrial hearing within 14 days to determine immunity, placing the burden of proof (clear and convincing evidence) on the party challenging the immunity. This directly affects individuals involved in defensive force incidents and law enforcement handling such cases.