A bill for an act establishing the state public defender’s pilot project to implement innovative models of child welfare legal representation as the project to preserve families.

This bill establishes a pilot project for Iowa's State Public Defender to provide innovative legal representation for low-income families involved in child welfare cases, aiming to preserve family unity. The project, initially limited to 16 counties until June 2025, uses team-based legal strategies to reduce trauma for children, achieve better outcomes for families, and deliver financial benefits to communities. It allows the State Public Defender to coordinate with other agencies, seek grants, and appoint attorneys before formal court proceedings if appropriate. The pilot is designed to study and implement new approaches to child welfare legal representation, with the goal of making family preservation a permanent focus of the State Public Defender's office.