Relating to and making appropriations to the justice system, providing for properly related matters including indigent defense and representation, certain administrative procedures involving law enforcement officers, the corrections capital reinvestment fund, and a corrections federal receipts fund, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the justice system. FY 2025-2026 APPROPRIATIONS. The bill makes appropriations for FY 2025-2026 from the general fund of the state to the departments of justice, corrections (DOC), public defense, public safety, and homeland security and emergency management, and the Iowa law enforcement academy, office of the state public defender, and board of parole. The bill also appropriates moneys from the commerce revolving fund to the office of consumer advocate of the department of justice; from the gaming enforcement revolving fund to the department of public safety; from the 911 emergency communications fund to the department of homeland security and emergency management; and from the consumer education and litigation fund to the department of justice for farm mediation services and for criminal prosecutions, criminal appeals, and performing certain duties. INDIGENT DEFENSE AND REPRESENTATION. The bill increases the hourly rates for court-appointed counsel by $5 per hour and provides that for appointments made on or after July 1, 2025, compensation is calculated on the basis of $91 per hour for class “A” felonies, $86 per hour for class “B” felonies, and $81 per hour for all other cases. _____ ATTORNEY GENERAL —— CONSUMER EDUCATION AND LITIGATION FUND.16C that have been in effect since FY 2014-2015. LAW ENFORCEMENT —— ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. The bill provides reasons that the Iowa law enforcement academy council may revoke or suspend the certification of a law enforcement officer or reserve peace officer.13A and requires any actions pending before the council on other grounds to be immediately dismissed. The bill provides that a peer support counselor or individual present for individual or group crisis intervention who obtains information from an officer or a civilian employee of a law enforcement agency, emergency management agency, emergency medical services agency, or fire department shall not be allowed to disclose any confidential communication entrusted to the counselor or individual present including in giving testimony. This division of the bill takes effect upon enactment. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— CAPITAL REINVESTMENT FUND. The bill authorizes proceeds from the sale of real estate by DOC to be used for upgrades to the Iowa corrections offender network system. DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— FEDERAL RECEIPTS FUND.41 (block grants). Moneys in the fund are appropriated to DOC for purposes of DOC operations and any other use authorized or required under the federal law or contract pursuant to which the moneys were paid, unless otherwise provided for by law. Moneys in the fund do not revert and interest or earnings on moneys in the fund are credited to the fund. _____ upon enactment and applies retroactively to FY 2023-2024.