A bill for an act relating to the criminal offense of grooming and the sex offender registry, and making penalties applicable.

This bill adds "grooming" (defined under Iowa Code § 709.8A) as a class D felony requiring mandatory registration as a tier I sex offender. It directly affects individuals convicted of grooming, which involves behaviors intended to exploit minors for sexual purposes. Key provisions include a mandatory 10-year special sentence in custody (with parole eligibility) and a 10-year registration requirement upon release from incarceration, probation, parole, or work release. The law extends existing sex offender registry rules to cover this specific criminal offense.