Criminal Justice (Corrections)

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 11, 2026

HF 2579: A bill for an act prohibiting disorderly conduct related to religious services, and providing penalties.

HF 2579 prohibits intentionally disrupting religious services through persistent noise, physical obstruction of entrances, or causing reasonable fear among attendees. It directly affects individuals who interfere with the orderly conduct of worship gatherings. Violators face a class "D" felony charge, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $1,025-$10,245 fine. This bill raises penalties for such disruptions from current misdemeanor levels to felony status under Iowa law. The measure is currently in committee review after its February 2026 introduction.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases penalties for disrupting religious services from misdemeanor to felony, expanding criminalization under criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2210: A bill for an act relating to sexual abuse by fraud, concealment, or artifice regarding marital status, and providing penalties.

This bill (SF 2210) makes it a crime to commit sexual abuse by deceiving someone about your marital status to obtain their consent. It specifically targets situations where a person intentionally hides their marital status (e.g., falsely claiming to be single) and the other person would not have consented without that deception. If convicted, the offense is classified as a class "C" felony (up to 10 years in prison and a $1,370-$13,660 fine), and the perpetrator must register as a Tier III sex offender. The bill directly affects individuals who commit sexual abuse through marital status deception, expanding the definition of sexual abuse under Iowa law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill creates new felony for marital deception in sexual abuse, expanding criminalization and increasing penalties (class C felony, 10-year prison).95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SF 2192: A bill for an act designating kratom as a schedule I controlled substance, and making penalties applicable.

This Iowa bill (SF 2192) designates kratom - a substance derived from the *Mitragyna speciosa* plant - as a Schedule I controlled substance, placing it in the same legal category as drugs like heroin. It directly affects anyone possessing kratom in Iowa, making first-time possession a serious misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail or $2,560 fine), repeat offenses an aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years or $8,540), and three or more convictions a Class D felony (up to 5 years or $10,245). The bill defines kratom broadly to include all plant parts, synthetic versions, and key compounds like mitragynine. These penalties apply to possession only; the bill does not address other uses or sales.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill criminalizes kratom possession with escalating penalties, expanding criminalization and increasing sentences per drug policy enforcement.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

Track

died · Iowa · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SF 2281: A bill for an act relating to controlled substances schedules and precursor substances reporting requirements, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

SF 2281 adds specific synthetic opioids and related compounds to Iowa's list of controlled substances under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. It directly affects individuals possessing, distributing, or manufacturing these newly listed substances, which include fentanyl analogs like Butonitazene and Flunitazene, as well as other novel synthetic drugs. The bill establishes penalties: violations could result in a class B felony (with a 25-year minimum prison term and fines up to $100,000), a class C felony (up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $50,000), or an aggravated misdemeanor (up to 2 years in jail and fines up to $8,540). The law takes effect immediately upon enactment to align with federal chemical designations.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds synthetic opioids to controlled substances with strict penalties (25-year minimum), expanding criminalization and mandatory sentencing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Drug Policy

Track

introduced · Iowa · House Mar 4, 2026

HF 2535: A bill for an act establishing a criminal offense for written or electronic threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, and providing penalties.

HF 2535 makes it a class C felony to send, post, or transmit written or electronic threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or carry out a mass shooting or act of terrorism via any digital platform visible to others. The law applies to threats shared through social media, messaging, or other digital communications (excluding phone calls), targeting individuals who make such threats online. Violators face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $13,660. This directly affects people who issue violent digital threats, while exempting internet service providers from liability for users' violations. The bill creates new criminal penalties for digital threats, distinct from existing laws covering in-person or verbal threats.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by creating new felony for online threats, increasing punitive measures per indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

passed · Iowa · House Mar 31, 2026

HF 2629: A bill for an act relating to trespass, and providing penalties.

HF 2629 proposes a new criminal offense for "unlawful squatting" in Iowa, targeting individuals who enter and occupy someone else's property without legal permission. It defines unlawful squatting as entering and residing on a dwelling, commercial building, or vacant property without showing valid documents like a lease, deed, rental receipt, or owner authorization - unless the person is an immediate family member of the owner. Violations are classified as a serious misdemeanor (first offense), aggravated misdemeanor (second), or class D felony (third+), with fines and jail time increasing for repeat offenses. The bill also requires property owners (or their authorized representatives) to report squatting to police and allows victims to sue for damages, while exempting law enforcement acting in good faith. This is a proposed law introduced on February 19, 2026, not yet enacted.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by creating new offense for squatting, increasing penalties for non-violent occupancy, aligning with oppose indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement Policing

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SF 2350: A bill for an act relating to the use of automatic registration plate readers, and providing penalties.

SF 2350 regulates Iowa law enforcement's use of automatic license plate readers (LPRs). It requires officers to obtain a warrant before searching LPR data, reduces data retention from 30 to 7 days, mandates detailed usage logs, and prohibits sharing LPR data with third parties without a warrant. The bill also creates public transparency portals showing what plates are scanned, how many searches occur, and retention statistics. Violating these rules constitutes a simple misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $855 fine.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants for LPR searches, limits data retention, mandates transparency - enhancing law enforcement accountability and privacy protections in criminal justice90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRegulates LPR data use with warrants, reduced retention, and privacy safeguards, directly protecting data privacy within technology systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement

Track

introduced · Iowa · House Mar 4, 2026

HF 2625: A bill for an act relating to orders for child support including requests for information regarding digital financial accounts, and providing penalties.

HF 2625 allows Iowa child support agencies to subpoena records from digital financial accounts (like online banking or payment apps) to enforce child support orders. It defines "digital financial account" as any online account storing, transferring, or receiving money digitally, and permits agencies to obtain transaction histories, income payments, and other relevant financial data. Parents or putative fathers who fail to comply with such subpoenas without a valid reason face a class "D" felony charge, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines between $1,025 and $10,245. The bill directly affects individuals obligated to pay child support who use digital financial services.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill imposes class D felony penalties for child support non-compliance, expanding criminalization of civil enforcement (noted in summary).85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

passed · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2026

SF 2400: A bill for an act relating to assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and harassment against public utility employees or contractors, and making penalties applicable.

This bill (SF 2400) strengthens penalties for assaults against specific public safety and service workers in Iowa. It adds "employee or contractor of a public utility engaged in public utility responsibilities" to the list of protected occupations, expanding existing assault penalty tiers. Assaults causing injury or using weapons against these workers become class C felonies, while assaults involving spitting or saliva contact are classified as aggravated misdemeanors requiring a minimum 7-day jail term. The bill directly affects public utility employees and contractors, as well as other covered professions like police, firefighters, and healthcare workers, by increasing legal consequences for violence against them.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill elevates assaults on public utility workers to class C felonies and expands criminalization, increasing penalties and aligning with 'oppose' indicators: increases mandatory sentences and expands criminalization.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workplace safety protections for public utility workers by increasing penalties for assaults, directly strengthening labor protections under the Labor & Employment topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Policing Violent Crime Employment Discrimination

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 651: A bill for an act establishing a criminal offense for written or electronic threats to kill, cause bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, and providing penalties.

HB 651 makes it a serious felony to send, post, or transmit written or electronic threats online to kill, cause bodily harm, or carry out a mass shooting or terrorism. It directly affects anyone who posts such threats on digital platforms (like social media or messaging apps), with penalties including up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $13,660. The bill explicitly excludes phone calls from its definition of "electronic record" and protects internet service providers from liability for user content. It aims to criminalize threatening digital communications while clarifying that platforms hosting such content are not held responsible.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new felony for online threats with 10-year prison term, expanding criminalization without reform elements or defendant protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track