Relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch, including judicial officer salaries and interpreter or translator fees, and including effective date provisions

Sponsored by the House Appropriations Committee

Topics:State budget Courts & civil law

Same legislation: SSB 1233, HSB 340, SF 648

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedApril 30, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeApril 30, 2025
Done: House committeeMay 12, 2025
Done: Passes the HouseMay 14, 202586–1
Skipped: Senate committeeSkipped
Done: Passes the SenateMay 13, 202534–14
Done: To the GovernorMay 23, 2025
Done: Signed into lawJune 11, 2025

SF 648 became law → The same legislation passed as SF 648, so this version was set aside. Go to SF 648 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary This bill provides money to the Iowa judicial branch to pay for things like salaries, equipment, and child support services. It allows trials to be moved to a neighboring county if everyone involved agrees, and it lets judges use electronic communication instead of traveling for work. Additionally, the bill sets the pay for justices and judges and changes how fees for interpreters and translators are handled.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the judicial branch. FY 2025-2026 APPROPRIATIONS.1302(3) for certain purposes, payment of court-ordered juvenile services, and juvenile delinquent graduated sanctions services. The bill provides that a civil trial including a jury trial may take place in a county contiguous to the county with proper jurisdiction, even if the contiguous county is located in an adjacent judicial district or judicial election district, if all the parties in a case agree. If a trial is moved to another county that is located in another judicial district or judicial election district, the judicial officers serving the judicial district or judicial election district receiving the case shall preside over the case. The bill permits a judicial officer to waive travel reimbursement for any travel outside the judicial officer’s county of residence to conduct official business. The bill allows a judicial officer to be placed on unpaid leave on any day a court employee is required to furlough. The bill provides that if a judicial officer is placed on unpaid leave, the salary of the judicial officer shall be reduced accordingly for the pay period in which the unpaid leave occurred. The bill provides that the judicial branch may use an amount equal to the aggregate amount of the salary reductions due to judicial officer unpaid leave for any purpose other than judicial salaries. The bill states legislative intent that the judicial branch utilize the Iowa communications network or other secure electronic communications in lieu of traveling. The bill sets forth salaries for justices, judges, and magistrates. This provision takes effect June 20, 2025. INTERPRETER OR TRANSLATOR FEES.1302. The bill prohibits the department of revenue court debt collection fee from including interpreter or translator fees. The bill also prohibits the county attorney from collecting court debt from interpreter or translator fees.

Why it matters. The judicial branch would receive state funding for salaries, child support processing, and juvenile services for fiscal years 2025-2026. Parties in a civil case could agree to hold their trial in a neighboring county, and judicial officers may be placed on unpaid leave or waive travel reimbursements. Additionally, the bill changes how interpreter and translator fees are handled regarding state reimbursements and debt collection.²

Changed since by amendment S-3156; see Amendments.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed³

House subcommittee

Named April 30, 2025 (as HSB 340). Meeting: Thursday, May 1 · 2:30 PM · RM 102.

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

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§602.1302 §602.8107

How the Code works⁴

Lobbying

6 for · 0 against · 20 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Tried before

SSB 1245Cleared committee89th GA SSB 3190Cleared committee90th GA HF 2695Didn’t advance90th GA SSB 1215Renumbered90th GA

Study bill

SSB 1233Renumbered HSB 340Renumbered

91st General Assembly

SF 648Became lawfrom SSB 1233 HF 1048Didn’t advancefrom HSB 340

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

Tried before

This idea has been filed in 3 earlier General Assemblies. A version became law.

SSB 1215 SSB 1215
90th General Assembly · Renumbered as SF 563 · nearly identical
Cleared committee
HF 2695 Relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch, and including effective date…
90th General Assembly · Withdrawn · nearly identical
Didn’t advance
SSB 3190 SSB 3190
90th General Assembly · In committee · nearly identical
Cleared committee
SSB 1245 SSB 1245
89th General Assembly · In committee · nearly identical
Cleared committee
SSB 3153 SSB 3153
89th General Assembly · In committee · very similar
Cleared committee
HF 2558 Relating to appropriations to the judicial branch
89th General Assembly · Signed with item vetoes · very similar
Became law
HF 864 Relating to appropriations to the judicial branch
89th General Assembly · Signed by Governor · similar
Became law
SSB 3104 SSB 3104
88th General Assembly · In committee · very similar
Cleared committee
SF 616 Relating to appropriations to the judicial branch. Effective 7-1-19
88th General Assembly · Signed by Governor · similar
Became law
SSB 1142 SSB 1142
88th General Assembly · Introduced · similar
Didn’t advance

Similar bills this General Assembly

SSB 1225 Relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch
91st General Assembly · In committee
Nearly identical
HF 2769 Relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch
91st General Assembly · Signed by Governor
Nearly identical

Matched by wording or an identical title.