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

HF 647: Relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses

Signed into law

What it does

This bill relates to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. The bill provides that if the county in which an offense was committed cannot be readily determined, trial of the offense shall be held in the county of residence of the victim. If there is no victim, the victim is not a resident of this state, or the residence of the victim cannot be established, trial shall be held in the county of residence of the person charged with the offense. If the victim is not a natural person, venue for trial of the offense is proper in any county where the victim has a physical presence. If there is more than one victim, trial may be held in any county in which a victim resides with the county of residence of a natural person taking priority over the county of residence of other victims.

Sponsors

Judiciary (companion To Sf 149 By Committee on Judiciary) committee

Cost

No fiscal note

House subcommittee · named January 21, 2025

  • Rep. Jeff Shipley (R) · jeff.shipley@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Ken Croken (D) · ken.croken@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Charley Thomson (R) · charley.thomson@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 6 for, 0 against

For: Iowa Attorney General Dept. of Justice; Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Iowa County Attorneys Association; Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance; Iowa State Bar Association; Soaring Hearts

In plain words

  1. January 21, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee · as HSB 49
  2. January 21, 2025House subcommittee named: Shipley, Croken, Thomson and C · as HSB 49
  3. January 30, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 49
  4. February 25, 2025Approved by the House committee · as HSB 49
  5. February 25, 2025Committee vote: 21–0 · as HSB 49
  6. February 28, 2025Filed in the House
  7. February 28, 2025Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HF 647 · as HSB 49
  8. March 13, 2025Passed the House, 95–0
  9. March 17, 2025Arrived in the Senate
  10. April 8, 2025Took the place of SF 149 on the Senate floor (the same legislation)
  11. April 8, 2025Passed the Senate, 48–0
  12. April 17, 2025Sent to the Governor
  13. April 18, 2025Signed into law

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/HF647