Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to probation, including discharge credits, educational credits, and workforce credits, and including effective date provisions
Topics:Courts & civil lawCrime & corrections
Same legislation: HF 570
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 6, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 6, 2025
- Done: House committeeFebruary 20, 2025
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 20, 202589–0
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Became HF 570 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 570 What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to probation, including discharge credits, educational credits, and workforce credits. _____ commitment to an alternate jail facility or a community correctional residential treatment facility to be followed by a period of probation. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn a discharge credit from the defendant’s term of probation for each full calendar month in which the defendant is in compliance with the terms of the defendant’s probation.
Read the full explanation
A defendant shall not earn a discharge credit for a calendar month in which a violation has occurred, the defendant has absconded from probation, or the defendant is incarcerated, except that a defendant shall be retroactively awarded a discharge credit for a calendar month in which a violation allegedly occurred if the violation is not sustained by the court. A defendant shall not earn a discharge credit for a partial calendar month or the last full calendar month of probation. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn an educational credit from the defendant’s term of probation when a defendant earns a high school diploma, high school equivalency certificate, or academic degree or completes a certified vocational, technical, or career education or training program. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn a workforce credit from the defendant’s term of probation for each six-month period in which a defendant maintains verifiable employment. The defendant’s probation officer may verify such employment through supporting documentation. The bill provides that beginning July 1, 2026, at least twice per year, the defendant’s probation officer shall provide the defendant with an accounting of the defendant’s discharge, educational, and workforce credits. _____ term earned through the application of credits shall not exceed percent of the probation period imposed and the defendant shall not be discharged from probation until the probation officer determines that fees and court debt have been paid off or are subject to a payment plan. A defendant may seek administrative review and recalculation of the defendant’s credits. The bill provides that discharge, educational, and workforce credits earned by a defendant on probation shall not apply to proceedings in adult criminal problem-solving courts and special probation programs unless the problem-solving court or special probation program adopts some or all of the credit provisions. Beginning July 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of corrections to report certain information annually in a public report made available no later than December of each year. The bill provides definitions for “adult criminal problem-solving court”, “discharge credit”, “educational credit”, “special probation program”, and “workforce credit”. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
House subcommittee
Named February 6, 2025. On February 12, 2025 it recommended 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
The fiscal impact of the change in individuals’ LOS on probation under HF 570 cannot be estimated. According to the DOC, HF 570 is estimated to increase the workload for probation officers to verify eligibility for discharge credits, education credits, and employment credits for supervised clients.
- Probation, Early Discharge · March 19, 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
12 for · 0 against · 5 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.
Tried before
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.
- HF 349 Relating to probation, including discharge credits, educational credits, and workforce cre…90th General Assembly · Passed House · same titlePassed 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.