Making Iowa’s Criminal Code more effective

The Senate Judiciary Committee recently passed a group of bills to help improve the state’s Criminal Code.

The Criminal Code Reorganization Committee, which is comprised of legislators and members of Iowa’s law enforcement community, has taken a comprehensive look at Iowa’s criminal laws with the goal of streamlining and modernizing them. This review will make our state’s Criminal Code easier to understand and apply. 

Recommendations include:

** Removing an outdated criminal section relating to cowl lamps on vehicles (HF 2288).

** Removing outdated language relating to “detention in a brothel” (HF 2286). New laws relating to human trafficking cover this crime.

** Moving “simulated public intoxication” to a new section of the Code (HF 2287).

** Providing a consistent definition of “serious injury” throughout the Criminal Code (HF 2374).

** Clarifying certain types of assault. Under HF 2372, in order for a person to be convicted of a forcible felony, they must have intended to cause serious injury. Current law does not require any intent, only that a serious injury occur.

** Extending probation for up to a year in certain circumstances, rather than sending a defendant back to prison (HF 2377).

These bills have passed the Iowa House and will now be taken up by the full Senate.

To learn more, go to www.legis.state.ia.us/Current/Interim and click on “Criminal Code Reorganization Study Committee.”