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

SSB 1055: Relating to defense subpoenas in criminal cases, and providing penalties

Became SF 571 · Its progress continues under the new number.

What it does

This bill relates to defense subpoenas in criminal cases. _____ acting on the defendant’s behalf shall not issue any subpoena for documents or other evidence except upon application to the court. An application shall not be granted unless a defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence there is a compelling need for the evidence sought and that such evidence is material, necessary, exculpatory, and admissible at trial; and the evidence sought does not include the private information of a crime victim or any other person except for the defendant’s own private information.

Cost

See the fiscal note

The total fiscal impact of Senate File 571 cannot be estimated, but the additional costs to the SPD operating budget and Indigent Defense Fund are anticipated to be significant.

Senate subcommittee · named January 28, 2025

Sen. Jeff Taylor (R) · jeff.taylor@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Matt Blake (D) · matt.blake@legis.iowa.gov
Sen. Cherielynn Westrich (R) · cherielynn.westrich@legis.iowa.gov

Lobbying · 5 for, 5 against

For: Iowa Attorney General Dept. of Justice; Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Iowa County Attorneys Association; Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance; Soaring Hearts

Against: American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU-IA); Innocence Project; Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers; Iowa Association for Justice; Kurtis Bower

In plain words

January 28, 2025Filed in the Senate and sent to the Judiciary committee
January 28, 2025Senate subcommittee named: Taylor, Blake and Westrich
January 29, 2025Subcommittee recommended passing it
March 6, 2025Approved by the Senate committee, and given a new number: SF 571