Relating to domestic abuse, including provisions relating to the implementation of a domestic abuse lethality screening assessment

This bill relates to domestic abuse lethality screening by peace officers.12(1).12(1), the peace officer shall also conduct a validated, evidence-based domestic abuse lethality screening assessment with the abused person that assists peace officers, victim counselors, and others in identifying victims of domestic abuse who are most likely to be killed by such abuse in the future. If possible, the peace officer shall conduct the screening assessment verbally by asking certain screening assessment questions to the abused person. If the peace officer is unable to conduct the screening assessment verbally with the abused person, the bill requires that the peace officer hand the abused person a document that includes the screening assessment questions written in English and Spanish, ask the abused person to read and provide written answers to the screening assessment questions, and request the abused person to return the completed document to the specified law enforcement agency listed in the document. The bill specifies that the peace officer conducting the domestic abuse lethality screening assessment or the law enforcement agency that has received such a screening assessment shall be responsible for providing the county attorney with the results of the screening assessment. The bill further specifies that the Iowa county attorneys association, in cooperation with the Iowa state sheriffs’ and deputies’ association, the Iowa peace officers association, and the Iowa coalition against domestic violence, shall study and implement an established validated evidence-based domestic abuse lethality screening assessment to be used on a statewide basis.2 relating to conditions of release of a person after arrest. In determining the conditions of release, the bill requires the court to take into account the results of a domestic abuse lethality screening assessment, if available.3.2(3), which would relieve a political subdivision from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill.