Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to invasion of privacy, including attempts to invade privacy, and making penalties applicable
Sponsored by Sen. Charlie McClintock (R)
Topics:Crime & corrections
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 12, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 13, 2026
- Done: Senate committeeJanuary 27, 2026
- Done: Passes the SenateFebruary 24, 202647–0
- Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
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’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary People who intentionally film, photograph, or watch someone else to satisfy sexual desires would be charged with invasion of privacy. If convicted, these individuals face jail time, fines, and must register as sex offenders. The level of registration depends on whether the victim is a child or an adult.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to invasion of privacy, including attempts to invade privacy. The bill provides that a person who knowingly views, photographs, or films another person, or attempts to view, photograph, or film another person, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person, commits invasion of privacy if certain requirements are met. A person convicted of invasion of privacy or an attempt to invade privacy is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. 21 is required to register as a tier II sex offender unless the offense is committed against a person under years of age, in which case the offense is reclassified as a tier III offense.
House subcommittee
Named March 3, 2026. Meeting: Thursday, March 5 · 8:00 AM · House Lounge.
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
Cost: up to $12,200 Compare with other bills
AI summary Senate File 2019 makes it a crime to attempt to view, photograph, or film another person for sexual gratification if certain conditions are met. The fiscal impact of the bill cannot be determined because the number of new convictions cannot be estimated. If convictions occur, costs would be incurred by the Judicial Branch, the Indigent Defense Fund, and the Department of Corrections.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
Senate File 2019 adds that a person who attempts to view, photograph, or film another person, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person, commits invasion of privacy if all of the requirements under Iowa Code section 709.21 apply.
Background
Under Iowa Code section 709.21, a person who knowingly views, photographs, or films another person for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person is guilty of invasion of privacy if all of the following conditions are met:
- The other person does not consent or is unable to consent to being viewed, photographed, or filmed.
- The other person is in a state of full or partial nudity.
- The other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy while in a state of full or partial nudity.
In FY 2025, there were 23 convictions under Iowa Code section 709.21 for invasion of privacy. Of those convictions, 19 offenders were involved. During the same time period, eight individuals were admitted to probation and two individuals were admitted to prison for the most serious offense under Iowa Code section 709.21.
An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. A violation of Iowa Code section 709.21 is a Tier II sex offense, and a person convicted of this offense is required to register as a sex offender for 10 years. If the offense is committed against a person under 13 years of age, the offense is reclassified as a Tier III offense, requiring lifetime registration.
Assumptions
- The following will not change over the projection period: charge, conviction, and sentencing patterns and trends; prisoner length of stay (LOS); revocation rates; plea bargaining; and other criminal justice system policies and practices.
- County jail data is unavailable. For purposes of this analysis, the marginal cost for county jails is assumed to be $50 per day.
- Conviction data reflects the total number of convictions in adult court, which may include multiple convictions per individual. Not all convictions lead to incarceration, and there may be a delay between conviction and prison admission, which can contribute to differences in totals.
- A six-month delay is assumed from the effective date of the Bill to the date the first offender will enter the correctional system.
- Offender-based convictions are a count of individuals convicted of the same offense. Each offender is counted only once per Iowa Code section, regardless of the number of individual convictions.
- Admissions are a count of individuals newly admitted to the Department of Corrections (DOC) for supervision during a selected time period, based on the most serious offense committed.
Correctional Impact
Senate File 2019 may increase annual convictions; however, the correctional impact of the Bill cannot be determined because the number of new convictions cannot be estimated. Figure 1 shows sentencing estimates for State prison, parole, probation, or Community-Based Corrections (CBC) residential facilities; LOS in months under those supervisions; and supervision marginal costs per day for an aggravated misdemeanor. Refer to the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) memo addressed to the General Assembly, Cost Estimates Used for Correctional Impact Statements, dated January 12, 2026, for information related to the correctional system.
Figure 1 — Sentencing Estimates and Length of Stay (LOS) in Months
Conviction Offense Class
Percent
Ordered to
State
Prison
FY 2025 Avg
LOS in
Prison (All Releases)
Marginal
Cost Per
Day
Prison
Percent
Ordered to
Probation
FY 2025
Field Avg
LOS on
Probation
Avg Cost
Per Day
Probation
Marginal
Cost Per
Day CBC
Marginal
Cost Per
Day Jail
FY 2025
Field Avg
LOS on
Parole
Marginal
Cost Per
Day Parole
Aggravated Misdemeanor Sex 67.8% 12.1 $23.07 55.4% 26.1 $8.00 $16.35 $50.00 N/A $8.00
Minority Impact
The minority impact cannot be determined since it is not known how many additional convictions would result from the changes under the Bill. Refer to the LSA memo addressed to the General Assembly, Minority Impact Statements, dated January 12, 2026, for information related to minorities in the criminal justice system.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact of the Bill cannot be determined because the number of new convictions under the Bill cannot be estimated. The average State cost per aggravated misdemeanor is between $8,300 and $12,200. The estimated impact to the General Fund includes operating costs incurred by the Judicial Branch, the Indigent Defense Fund, and the DOC. The cost would be incurred across multiple fiscal years for prison and parole supervision.
Sources
- Department of Corrections
- Division of Data, Planning, and Improvement (DPI), Department of Management (DOM)
- Invasion of Privacy, Attempt · February 23, 2026 · $12,200