HF 159: Relating to the defenses of justification and diminished capacity for certain violent crimes

What it does

This bill specifies that the defenses of justification and diminished capacity are not available when a person who is the subject of a nonviolent sexual advance commits a violent crime or an assault upon another person as the result of that sexual advance or solely as a result of the person’s discovery of, knowledge about, or potential disclosure of the victim’s sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.11, and includes any other felony or aggravated misdemeanor which involved the actual or threatened infliction of physical or emotional injury on one or more persons.

Senate subcommittee · named February 14, 2023

• Sen. Mike Bousselot (R) · mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D) · herman.quirmbach@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Scott Webster (R) · scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 14 for, 0 against

For: American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; IA Mental Health Planning Council; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund; Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance; Iowa Safe Schools; Iowa State Bar Association; One Iowa; One Iowa Action; and 2 more

In plain words

1. January 30, 2023Filed in the House
2. February 9, 2023Passed the House, 94–1
3. February 13, 2023Arrived in the Senate
4. February 14, 2023Senate subcommittee named: Bousselot, Quirmbach and Webster
5. March 16, 2023Subcommittee recommended passing it