Bills › 90th General Assembly
Relating to unlawful activities, including those related to state residency and citizenship requirements in determining eligibility for public assistance, and the smuggling of persons, and providing penalties
Topics:Courts & civil law
Same legislation: HF 2608
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2024
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 24, 2024
- Done: House committeeFebruary 14, 2024
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 7, 202460–32
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became HF 2608 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 2608 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to unlawful activities, including those related to requirements for public assistance and to the smuggling of persons. Division I of the bill relates to state residency and citizenship requirements for public assistance. The bill provides that the department of health and human services (HHS) shall require that all noncitizen applicants for public assistance, who are identified as noncitizens on their application, document and verify their noncitizen status. HHS shall determine from the documentation obtained if the person is a noncitizen who may be eligible to receive public assistance, and such a noncitizen shall only be eligible for public assistance if the person is both a resident of Iowa and a qualified alien as defined under federal law.
Read the full explanation
The bill also requires HHS to verify the immigration status of all noncitizen applicants through the systematic alien verification for entitlements program administered by the United States department of homeland security. The bill defines “qualified alien” and “resident” for the purposes of the bill. Division II of the bill provides that a person commits the offense of smuggling of persons when the person knowingly does any of the following: uses a motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other means of conveyance to transport an individual with the intent to conceal the individual from a peace officer or flees from a person the actor knows is a peace officer attempting to lawfully arrest or detain the actor; encourages or induces a person to enter or remain in the United States in violation of federal law by concealing, harboring, or shielding that person from detection, or assists, guides, or directs two or more individuals to enter or remain on agricultural land without the effective consent of the owner. The bill provides that smuggling of persons is a class “C” felony, except that the offense is a class “B” felony if the person or other party specified in the bill does any of the following: the person commits the offense in a manner that creates a substantial likelihood that the smuggled individual will suffer serious bodily injury or death; the person smuggled an individual who is a child younger than years of age at the time of the offense; the person committed the offense with the intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit; or during the commission of the offense, the actor, another party to the offense, or another individual assisted, guided, or directed by the actor knowingly possessed a firearm.3; or if the smuggled individual suffered serious bodily injury or death. The bill provides that it is an affirmative defense to prosecution of the offense of smuggling persons, other than an offense committed in a manner that creates a substantial likelihood that the smuggled individual will suffer serious bodily injury or death, or violations resulting in a class “A” felony charge, that the actor is related to the smuggled individual within the second degree of consanguinity or, at the time of the offense, within the second degree of affinity.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
House subcommittee
Named January 24, 2024. On January 30, 2024 it recommended passage. Vote Total: 2-1.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
The total one-time cost of Division I of the Bill is $92,000 to implement the information technology changes required under HF 2608. The one-time cost to the HHS is estimated to be approximately $29,000 and federal funds will be used to pay approximately $63,000. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of the one-time costs.
- Unauthorized Aliens, Public Assistance and Smuggling · March 6, 2024
Nonpartisan cost estimates from the Legislative Services Agency’s Fiscal Services Division. The newest is first. Reading a fiscal note
Iowa Code it changes
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
4 for · 14 against · 9 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
90th General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title; check the text to be sure it’s the same idea.
Similar bills
- HSB 15 Establishing the criminal offense of the smuggling of persons, and providing penalties91st General Assembly · Renumbered as HF 572Similar
Matched by the wording of each bill’s explanation, or an identical title. Companion bills and renumbered versions of this bill aren’t listed; they’re the same bill.