Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees, and providing penalties
Sponsored by the House Public Safety Committee
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 15, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 15, 2025
- Done: House committeeJanuary 29, 2025
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 27, 202591–2
- Skipped: Senate committeeSkipped
- Done: Passes the SenateMarch 10, 202547–0
- Done: To the GovernorApril 17, 2025
- Done: Signed into lawApril 18, 2025
SF 397 became law → The same legislation passed as SF 397, so this version was set aside. Go to SF 397 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inmate assaults on department of corrections employees.1, against persons engaged in certain occupations including a peace officer, jailer, correctional staff, member or employee of the board of parole, health care provider, employee of the department of health and human services, employee of the department of revenue, national guard member engaged in national guard duty or state active duty, civilian employee of a law enforcement agency, civilian employee of a fire department, or fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer.
Read the full explanation
The bill adds juvenile detention staff to the occupations listed. The bill increases the currently applicable penalties by one degree. A person who assaults a person engaged in one of the listed occupations with knowledge of the person’s occupation and the intent to inflict a serious injury upon such person is guilty of a class “C” felony. A person who, while assaulting a person engaged in one of the listed occupations, uses or displays a dangerous weapon in connection with the assault is guilty of a class “C” felony. A person who, while assaulting a person engaged in one of the listed occupations, causes bodily injury or mental illness is guilty of a class “D” felony. The bill provides that any other assault, including an assault causing another to come into contact with saliva by throwing, tossing, spitting, or expelling the fluid, committed against a person engaged in one of the listed occupations is an aggravated misdemeanor. A person convicted of violating the provision is required to serve a minimum term of seven days of the sentence imposed by law, and is not eligible for suspension of the minimum sentence. The bill provides that a person who, while confined in a jail, institution, or facility under the control of the department of corrections, commits an assault upon an employee of the jail, institution, or facility that results in the employee’s contact with blood, seminal fluid, urine, saliva, or feces, or who commits an act that is intended to cause pain or injury or be insulting or offensive and that results in blood, seminal fluid, urine, saliva, or feces being cast or expelled upon an employee, commits a class “D” felony. Current law does not include saliva in the list of bodily fluids or secretions. A class “C” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than years and a fine of at least $1,370 but not more than $13,660. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than $10,245. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Changed since by amendment H-1210; see Amendments. Full bill text · What changed before it passed
House subcommittee
Named January 15, 2025 (as HSB 24). On January 22, 2025 it recommended amendment and passage.
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
Cost: up to $948,000 Compare with other bills
Senate File 397 is anticipated to increase prison admissions and LOS, which would increase costs to the DOC by approximately $948,000 per group per year over the LOS. Figure 2 breaks down these costs by penalty. These costs would recur for each annual group of admissions and would be incurred across multiple fiscal years for prison and parole supervision.
- Final Fiscal Note — Assaults, Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations and by Inmates · June 10, 2025 · $948,000
- Assaults, Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations and by Inmates · February 28, 2025
- Assaults, Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations and by Inmates · February 27, 2025
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
14 for · 1 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.
Study bill
91st 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.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None became law, though one got through a chamber.
- SF 2279 Relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inm…90th General Assembly · Approved by committee · same titleCleared committee
- HF 2302 Relating to assaults, including assaults on persons engaged in certain occupations and inm…90th General Assembly · Passed House · nearly identicalPassed a chamber
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.