Iowa Code § 2.56 — IA Code / Title I / Chapter 2 / Section 2.56
Correctional impact statements.
Status: in_force

(1) Prior to debate on the floor of a chamber of the general assembly, a correctional impact statement shall be attached to any bill, joint resolution, or amendment which proposes a change in the law which creates a public offense, significantly changes an existing public offense or the penalty for an existing offense, or changes existing sentencing, parole, or probation procedures. The statement shall include information concerning the estimated number of criminal cases per year that the legislation will impact, the fiscal impact of confining persons pursuant to the legislation, the impact of the legislation on minorities, the impact of the legislation upon existing correctional institutions, community-based correctional facilities and services, and jails, the likelihood that the legislation may create a need for additional prison capacity, and other relevant matters. The statement shall be factual and shall, if possible, provide a reasonable estimate of both the immediate effect and the long-range impact upon prison capacity.

(2) (a) When a committee of the general assembly reports a bill, joint resolution, or amendment to the floor, the committee shall state in the report whether a correctional impact statement is or is not required.

(2) (b) The legislative services agency shall review all bills and joint resolutions placed on the calendar of either chamber of the general assembly, as well as amendments filed to bills or joint resolutions on the calendar, to determine whether a correctional impact statement is required.

(2) (c) A member of the general assembly may request the preparation of a correctional impact statement by submitting a request to the legislative services agency.

(3) The legislative services agency shall cause to be prepared a correctional impact statement within a reasonable time after receiving a request or determining that a proposal is subject to this section. All correctional impact statements approved by the legislative services agency shall be transmitted immediately to either the chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate, after notifying the sponsor of the legislation that the statement has been prepared for publication. The chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate shall attach the statement to the bill, joint resolution, or amendment affected as soon as it is available.

(4) The legislative services agency may request the cooperation of any state department or agency or political subdivision in preparing a correctional impact statement.

(5) The legislative services agency, in cooperation with the department of health and human services as the agency responsible for criminal and juvenile justice planning, shall develop a protocol for analyzing the impact of the legislation on minorities.

(6) A revised correctional impact statement shall be prepared if the correctional impact has been changed by the adoption of an amendment, and may be requested by a member of the general assembly or be prepared upon a determination made by the legislative services agency. However, a request for a revised correctional impact statement shall not delay action on the bill, joint resolution, or amendment unless so ordered by the presiding officer of the chamber.

93 Acts, ch 171, §14; 2003 Acts, ch 35, §12, 49; 2008 Acts, ch 1095, §1, 2, 42023 Acts, ch 19, §1