A bill for an act creating a capital murder offense by establishing the penalty of death for murder in the first degree of a peace officer on duty, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill (SF 320) creates a new capital murder offense in Iowa for intentionally killing a peace officer while the officer is on duty. It establishes the death penalty as the mandatory punishment for this specific crime, directly affecting individuals charged with such murders and requiring specialized legal representation for indigent defendants in these cases. Key provisions include mandating qualified attorneys for capital murder cases, creating a new process to assess an inmate's sanity before execution, and requiring automatic Supreme Court review of all death sentences to ensure they are legally imposed and not excessive. The bill also amends existing laws to clarify the circumstances that qualify as capital murder, including killings of officers "under any circumstances" with knowledge of their status.