A bill for an act relating to victim protections including victim counselors, protective orders, sex offender registration, rights of sexual abuse victims, mental competency and civil commitment, restitution, and victim rights.

This bill strengthens protections for crime victims in Iowa by expanding confidentiality for victim-counselor communications and updating key procedures. It requires victim counselors to complete specialized training (covering trauma, laws, and resources) and establishes strict rules preventing disclosure of counseling records, with limited exceptions for imminent danger or victim consent. The bill also allows courts to issue lifetime protective orders for sexual assault victims, eliminating the previous one-year limit and enabling victims to seek these orders without appearing in court. Additionally, it modifies sex offender registration requirements to mandate in-person updates within three business days for address, employment, or school changes.