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91st General Assembly · Funnel one-pager · Monday, November 9, 2026

HF 317: Relating to indigent defense and the appointment of counsel by the court

Died when the session ended · The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died.

What it does

This bill relates to indigent defense and the appointment of counsel by the court. The bill provides that any attorney appointed by the court, without the consent of the attorney, who is accused of ineffective assistance of counsel shall be treated as a state employee under Code chapter 669 (state tort claims), including defense and indemnification under Code section 669.21, which provides that the state shall defend any employee, and shall indemnify and hold harmless an employee against any claim.

Sponsors

Judiciary committee

Cost

Can’t be estimated

3 million. Future settlement and judgment amounts involving ineffective assistance of counsel are unknown and the resulting fiscal impact to the General Fund cannot be determined.

Senate subcommittee · named March 18, 2025

  • Sen. Mike Bousselot (R) · mike.bousselot@legis.iowa.gov
  • Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D) · herman.quirmbach@legis.iowa.gov
  • Sen. Jeff Reichman (R) · jeff.reichman@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 4 for, 1 against

For: American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers; Iowa Association for Justice; Iowa State Bar Association

Against: Kurtis Bower

In plain words

  1. January 15, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee · as HSB 13
  2. January 15, 2025House subcommittee named: Lohse, Olson, Thompson and M · as HSB 13
  3. January 27, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 13
  4. February 6, 2025Approved by the House committee · as HSB 13
  5. February 6, 2025Committee vote: 19–1 · as HSB 13
  6. February 10, 2025Filed in the House
  7. February 10, 2025Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 317 · as HSB 13
  8. March 13, 2025Passed the House, 91–5
  9. March 17, 2025Arrived in the Senate
  10. March 18, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Bousselot, Quirmbach and Reichman
  11. March 27, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it
  12. April 3, 2025Cost estimate (fiscal note) posted

From public records at legis.iowa.gov, compiled by Funnel (iowafunnel.com), an independent, nonpartisan site. Current as of Monday, November 9, 2026. https://iowafunnel.com/bills/91/HF317