HF 2318: Relating to bestiality and providing penalties

What it does

This bill relates to bestiality. Under current law, a person who performs a sex act with an animal is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. Current law defines “sex act” as any sexual contact between a person and an animal by penetration of the penis into the vagina or anus, contact between the mouth and genitalia, or by contact between the genitalia of one and the genitalia or anus of the other. The bill provides that a “sex act” includes the following conduct that is not the practice of veterinary medicine, an accepted animal husbandry livestock management practice, an accepted practice related to the insemination of animals for the purpose of procreation, or an accepted practice related to conformation judging: an act between a person and an animal involving physical contact between the sex organ, genitals, or anus of one and the mouth, sex organ, genitals, or anus of the other; any touching or fondling by a person, either directly or through clothing, of the sex organ, genitals, or anus of an animal or any insertion, however slight, of any part of a person’s body or any object into the vaginal or anal opening of an animal except for veterinarian advised care of the animal; any insertion, however slight, of any part of an animal’s body into the vaginal or anal opening of a person; advertising, offering, selling, transferring, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining an animal with the intent that the animal be used for sexual contact in this state; organizing, promoting, conducting, or participating as an observer of an act involving a sex act with an animal; knowingly permitting a sex act with an animal to occur in any premises under the person’s ownership or control; photographing or filming obscene material depicting a person engaging in a sex act with an animal; distributing, selling, publishing, or transmitting obscene material depicting a person engaged in a sex act with an animal; possessing with the intent to distribute, sell, publish, or transmit obscene material depicting a person engaged in a sex act with an animal; or forcing, coercing, enticing, or encouraging a minor to engage in a sex act with an animal.

House subcommittee · named January 23, 2024

• Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R) · bobby.kaufmann@legis.iowa.gov
• Rep. Rick L. Olson (D) · rick.olson@legis.iowa.gov
• Rep. John H. Wills (R) · john.wills@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 9 for, 0 against

For: Animal Rescue League Iowa, Inc.; Blank Childrens Hospital; Iowa Baptists For Biblical Values; Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Iowa County Attorneys Association; Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition; Iowa State Bar Association; Iowa Veterinary Medical Association; The Humane Society of the United States

In plain words

1. January 9, 2024Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee · as HSB 533
2. January 9, 2024House subcommittee named: Kaufmann, Olson, Wills and J · as HSB 533
3. January 10, 2024House subcommittee named: Kaufmann, Wilburn, Wills and J · as HSB 533
4. January 23, 2024House subcommittee named: Kaufmann, Olson, Wills and J · as HSB 533
5. January 25, 2024Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 533
6. February 1, 2024Approved by the House committee · as HSB 533
7. February 5, 2024Filed in the House
8. February 5, 2024Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 2318 · as HSB 533
9. February 15, 2024Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted
10. February 27, 2024Passed the House, 97–0
11. February 28, 2024Arrived in the Senate
12. February 28, 2024Took the place of SF 2180 on the Senate floor (the same legislation)
13. February 28, 2024Passed the Senate, 47–0
14. March 13, 2024Passed the House, 93–1
15. April 10, 2024Sent to the Governor
16. April 10, 2024Signed into law
17. May 1, 2024Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted