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Bills › 89th General Assembly

SF 561Died when the session ended · April 13, 2021

Relating to the establishment of a cold case investigation unit within the department of public safety

Sponsored by the Senate Judiciary (companion To Hf 63 By Wheeler) Committee

Topics:Crime & correctionsPublic safety & emergencies

Same legislation: HF 63, SF 151, HF 312

Write your legislators about it

Also covers HF 63 and SF 151 and HF 312.

Official bill pageLobbyist declarationsOne-pager to print

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 14, 2021
  2. Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 28, 2021
  3. Done: Senate committeeMarch 4, 2021
  4. Done: Passes the SenateApril 13, 202146–0
  5. Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
  6. Next: Passes the House
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2022 session adjourned on May 24, 2022, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Iowa will create a new team within the Department of Public Safety to look into old, unsolved crimes. This unit will focus on investigating murders and cases involving missing children or adults who are believed to be dead. At least two full-time agents will be assigned to work on these cases after the original investigation has already ended.1

Read the official explanation

This bill establishes a cold case investigation unit within the department of public safety. The bill provides that the commissioner of public safety may assign the cold case investigation unit to a division or bureau within the department. Under the bill, the cold case investigation unit shall, within the capabilities of the unit, conduct criminal investigations after an initial criminal investigation has been completed by the law enforcement agency conducting the initial criminal investigation. The bill specifies that the unit shall focus on investigations related to unsolved murders, missing children, and missing adults presumed to be deceased. The bill provides that the commissioner shall appoint at least two full-time agents to the cold case investigation unit, and the department of public safety shall adopt rules to administer the provisions of the bill.

Full bill text2

Fiscal note

AI summary Senate File 561 creates a Cold Case Investigation Unit within the Department of Public Safety to investigate unsolved murders and missing persons cases. This bill is estimated to increase costs to the Department of Public Safety by $298,600 in fiscal year 2023 and $138,400 in fiscal year 2024.3

Read the fiscal note

Description

Senate File 561 establishes a Cold Case Investigation Unit within the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The Unit is tasked, within its capabilities, with conducting criminal investigations after an initial criminal investigation has been completed by law enforcement. The Unit is to focus on investigations involving unsolved murders, missing children, and missing adults presumed to be dead. The Bill requires the Commissioner of Public Safety to appoint at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to the Cold Case Investigation Unit.

Background

Currently, no specific unit within the DPS is assigned to handle existing cold cases. At this time, the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) takes responsibility for investigating cold cases as time and resources allow.

Assumptions

  • Due to the complex nature of cold case investigations, the DPS will need to appoint agents at the position classification level of Special Agent. In order to investigate cold cases, significant crime-solving experience is needed.
  • It is assumed that the DPS will reassign 2.0 existing Special Agent positions. In order to backfill these two positions and to accommodate the Department’s internal hiring process, the DPS assumes it would eventually hire two Trooper I positions.
  • Due to the strict timeline of the hiring process and subsequent academy admission, it is likely that the DPS will not be able to fully onboard the two Trooper I positions needed for personnel backfill until FY 2023.
  • For FY 2024, compensation totals are adjusted for a 3.0% increase in salary and benefits.

Fiscal Impact

Table 1 provides a breakdown of the cost for 2.0 Trooper I FTE position for two years, including salary and benefit details.

Table 1 — Cost of 2.0 Trooper I FTE Positions, FY 2023 – FY 2024 Senate File 561 will increase the cost to the DPS by an estimated $298,600 in FY 2023 and $138,400 in FY 2024.

Sources

  • Department of Public Safety
  • LSA analysis

Reading a fiscal note4

Iowa Code it changes

Creates§80.31

How the Code works5

Lobbying

1 for · 0 against · 8 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Tried before

HF 2430Cleared committee88th GA

89th General Assembly

HF 63Cleared committeeHouse companionSF 151RenumberedSenate companionHF 312Cleared committeeHouse companionSF 561Passed a chamberfrom SF 151

Picked up later

SF 40Cleared committee90th GA

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Tried before

This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None got through a chamber.

  • HF 2430 Relating to the establishment of a cold case investigation unit within the department of p…
    88th General Assembly · In committee · same title
    Cleared committee

Similar bills this General Assembly

  • SF 2103 Relating to the establishment of a cold case investigation unit within the department of p…
    89th General Assembly · Renumbered as SF 2234
    Nearly identical
  • SF 40 Relating to the establishment of a cold case investigation unit within the department of p…
    90th General Assembly · Approved by committee
    Very similar

Matched by wording or an identical title.