A bill for an act relating to indigent defense and the appointment of counsel by the court.

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.