SF 320: Creating a capital murder offense by establishing the penalty of death for murder in the first degree of a peace officer on duty, and including effective date and applicability provisions

What it does

This bill amends the Iowa criminal code to provide for punishment by death for capital murder committed by a person age or older if the trial jury, or the judge if there is no jury, makes specific findings and if the jury believes the defendant should be put to death in a separate penalty proceeding held after the close of the initial trial proceeding. Under the bill, a death sentence could be imposed if the murder would constitute murder in the first degree. The bill provides that in order to receive a sentence of death, the defendant must be at least years of age at the time the murder in the first degree of a peace officer on duty was committed, must not be mentally ill or intellectually disabled, and must have been a major participant in the commission of the crime or must have shown a manifest indifference to human life.

Senate subcommittee · named February 24, 2025

• Sen. Scott Webster (R) · scott.webster@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. David D. Rowley (R) · david.rowley@legis.iowa.gov
• Sen. Janice Weiner (D) · janice.weiner@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 0 for, 11 against

Against: American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Episcopal Diocese of Iowa; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund; Iowa Association for Justice; Iowa Catholic Conference; Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church; Iowa Integrated Health Planning and Advisory Council; Iowa Mental Health Advocacy; Iowans Against the Death Penalty; League of Women Voters of Iowa; National Association of Social Workers, Iowa Chapter

In plain words

1. February 17, 2025Filed in the Senate and sent to the Judiciary committee
2. February 20, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Webster, Bisignano and Rowley
3. February 24, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Webster, Rowley and Weiner
4. March 3, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it with changes