Criminal Justice

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SF 2122: A bill for an act relating to the creation of an extreme risk protective order against a person in possession of a firearm who presents a significant danger to the person’s self or others, and providing penalties.

This bill creates "extreme risk protective orders" allowing family members, intimate partners, or police to petition courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals posing an immediate danger to themselves or others. Petitions require specific evidence of danger (supported by an affidavit) and must detail the firearms involved, with all filing fees waived. Law enforcement can serve these orders during routine stops using a simplified "short-form notification" process, requiring immediate firearm surrender. The order is temporary and requires a court hearing within a short timeframe to determine its continuation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates extreme risk protective orders to prevent firearm violence, advancing criminal justice reform through proactive harm prevention and public safety measures.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Firearms

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SF 2098: A bill for an act relating to firearms, including background checks for acquiring pistols or revolvers, identification markings on firearms and firearm parts, trigger locks, extreme risk protective orders, mental health funding, certain firearm transfers, and certain related crimes, and providing penalties.

This bill, Iowa's "Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman Firearm Regulation Act," requires background checks for pistol and revolver purchases from any seller (not just dealers), prohibits sales to those under 21, and mandates unique serial numbers for homemade firearms by December 2026. It also requires identification markings on all firearms and unfinished frames/receivers, prohibits altering or removing these marks, and includes provisions for extreme risk protective orders and mental health funding. The law directly affects firearm manufacturers, sellers, and buyers by adding new registration and marking requirements for homemade weapons and tightening background check processes for pistols. Key mechanisms include the new serial number system for homemade firearms, age restrictions on pistol purchases, and penalties for tampering with identification marks.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncludes extreme risk protective orders (ERPOs) and mental health funding, key criminal justice reform elements targeting gun violence prevention.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly includes mental health funding provisions as part of firearm regulation measures, directly supporting mental health services within healthcare policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2026

HF 2175: A bill for an act relating to the purchase or sale of an individual including surrogate mother agreements, and making penalties applicable.

HF 2175 makes it a class C felony to buy or sell a person, punishable by up to 10 years in prison or fines up to $13,660. The law specifically exempts surrogate mother arrangements where the surrogate receives no money or other value for agreeing to carry a child and give up all parental rights to the intended parents. This bill directly affects individuals involved in commercial surrogacy arrangements and anyone attempting to buy or sell people, while clarifying that non-monetary surrogacy agreements remain legal. The key provision prohibits financial transactions involving people but explicitly allows surrogacy without payment to the surrogate.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new class C felony for buying/selling a person, expanding criminalization (explicit indicator for oppose)90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 15, 2026

HF 2095: A bill for an act requiring the filing of a tax return when child support obligations are delinquent, and providing for penalties.

HF 2095 requires individuals with delinquent child support obligations referred to a collection agency to file an Iowa tax return, regardless of their income level. This applies to both Iowa residents and nonresidents with income allocated to Iowa, overriding existing income thresholds for filing. Failure to file constitutes a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,560 fine. The bill mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services notify the Department of Revenue when child support arrears are referred to collection or resolved, ensuring tax filing requirements are enforced.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill criminalizes child support non-compliance via misdemeanor penalties, expanding criminal justice reach into civil matters.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2020: A bill for an act requiring an initial appearance before a magistrate on new felony charges by a person on felony probation or parole.

This bill requires a court hearing before a magistrate for individuals on felony probation or parole who are arrested for new felony charges. Currently, such people could be released under pretrial guidelines without an immediate court appearance, but this bill mandates that they must have their initial hearing first. The key change ensures that people under court supervision for prior felony convictions cannot be released on pretrial bond without a prompt judicial review. This applies specifically to new felony charges while the person is already on probation or parole supervision.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates judicial review before release for probation/parole violators, preventing pretrial release without hearing. Aligns with reform by ensuring oversight and protecting defendant rights during initial appearance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges Probation & Parole

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 19, 2026

HSB 613: A bill for an act relating to intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and making penalties applicable.

This bill creates two new felony offenses for threatening others with dangerous weapons. A Class C felony (up to 10 years in prison) applies when someone shoots, throws, or discharges a weapon at a building, vehicle, or crowd, causing reasonable fear of serious injury. A Class D felony (up to 5 years in prison) covers direct threats at individuals or occupied vehicles/boats. The law specifies that these acts must place people in "reasonable apprehension of serious injury" to qualify as criminal.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new felony offenses with mandatory prison sentences for weapon intimidation, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties per sentencing indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Firearms

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 13, 2026

HF 2031: A bill for an act relating to the peace officer, public safety, and emergency personnel bill of rights, including fees, expenses, and court costs.

HF 2031 ensures peace officers, public safety personnel, and emergency responders who successfully challenge their inclusion on a Brady-Giglio list (which identifies prosecutors with past misconduct) can recover legal costs. If a district court rules in the officer's favor and orders their removal from the list, the court must award reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and court costs - paid by the prosecuting agency. This applies retroactively to cases decided on or after July 1, 2021. The bill directly affects officers who win appeals against their placement on this list, shifting financial responsibility for legal fees to the prosecutor's office.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects law enforcement officers' rights by allowing cost recovery when wrongfully listed on misconduct-related databases, enhancing due process and accountability in criminal justice system interactions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HSB 570: 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 (HSB 570) proposes key changes to victim protections in Iowa. It establishes strict confidentiality for communications between certified victim counselors (requiring 20+ hours of specialized training) and crime victims, with limited exceptions like imminent danger. For sexual assault victims, it allows courts to grant lifetime protective orders without requiring the victim to appear in court, using the offender's conviction as evidence. The bill also modifies sex offender registration requirements, though the full details are not provided in the excerpt. If passed, it would directly affect victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and their counselors.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens victim protections via counselor confidentiality, lifetime protective orders without victim court appearance, and modified sex offender registration, advancing victim rights in criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Victims' Rights

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SF 2017: A bill for an act relating to intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and making penalties applicable.

This bill amends Iowa Code section 708.6 to clarify and strengthen penalties for intimidation involving dangerous weapons. It creates two felony classifications: a class "C" felony (up to 10 years in prison, $1,370-$13,660 fine) for intentionally discharging a weapon to provoke fear or anger in others, and a class "D" felony (up to 5 years, $1,025-$10,245 fine) for similar acts without that specific intent. The law applies when someone shoots, throws, or launches a weapon at or near occupied buildings, vehicles, or assemblies, causing reasonable fear of serious injury. It directly affects individuals who threaten or carry out such acts, updating existing penalties to address specific scenarios.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill strengthens penalties for weapon intimidation by creating stricter felony classifications and increasing prison terms, opposing criminal justice reform efforts that reduce harsh sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 28, 2026

HF 2139: A bill for an act related to eluding, including aggravated eluding and fresh pursuit, and providing penalties.

HF 2139 amends Iowa law to address fleeing police across state lines. It defines "aggravated eluding" as knowingly crossing into another state while being pursued without yielding to police, making it a class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,245. The bill also allows Iowa officers to continue pursuing and arresting drivers in other states during "fresh pursuit" (defined as pursuit without unreasonable delay), requiring them to report the arrest to that state's authorities and subjecting the driver to extradition. This directly affects drivers fleeing police across state borders and Iowa law enforcement officers conducting interstate pursuits.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for fleeing police across state lines, classifying aggravated eluding as a class D felony with harsher sentencing, expanding criminalization.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Policing

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