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

HJR 9: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of an accused to confront children and other witnesses

Did not pass · It didn’t pass both chambers before the General Assembly ended.

What it does

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the right of an accused to confront children and other witnesses. The resolution provides that in order to protect children under the age of and any witness with a mental illness, intellectual disability, or other developmental disability, the right of an accused to confront such witnesses may be limited by law. The resolution, if adopted, would be published and then referred to the next general assembly (92nd) for adoption, before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.

Sponsors

Not listed

Cost

No fiscal note

House subcommittee · named January 16, 2025

  • Rep. Charley Thomson (R) · charley.thomson@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Lindsay James (D) · lindsay.james@legis.iowa.gov
  • Rep. Skyler Wheeler (R) · skyler.wheeler@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 22 for, 2 against

For: Blank Childrens Hospital; Exceptional Persons, Inc.; Imagine the Possibilities; Iowa Association of Community Providers; Iowa Attorney General Dept. of Justice; Iowa Catholic Conference; Iowa Chapter-American Academy of Pediatrics; Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Iowa County Attorneys Association; Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association; and 10 more

Against: Iowa Association for Justice; Kurtis Bower

In plain words

  1. January 16, 2025Filed in the House and sent to the Judiciary committee · as HSB 35
  2. January 16, 2025House subcommittee named: Thomson, C., James and Wheeler · as HSB 35
  3. January 22, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it · as HSB 35
  4. February 24, 2025Approved by the House committee · as HSB 35
  5. February 24, 2025Committee vote: 18–3 · as HSB 35
  6. February 25, 2025Filed in the House
  7. February 25, 2025Approved by the House committee, and given a new number: HJR 9 · as HSB 35
  8. April 17, 2025Withdrawn

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/HJR9