This bill amends Iowa's probation laws to introduce new credit systems aimed at incentivizing compliance among defendants. Effective July 1, 2026, defendants on probation will earn discharge credits for each full calendar month of compliance, educational credits for obtaining educational qualifications, and workforce credits for maintaining verifiable employment. Specifically, discharge credits will reduce probation terms by fourteen days per month of compliance, educational credits will provide a ninety-day reduction for educational achievements, and workforce credits will offer a thirty-day reduction for every six-month period of employment. The bill also mandates that probation officers provide defendants with an accounting of their accrued credits at least twice a year.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the maximum reduction of a probation term through these credits cannot exceed 40% of the total probation period. It clarifies that these credit provisions do not apply to adult criminal problem-solving courts and special probation programs unless those programs choose to adopt them. The Department of Corrections is tasked with collecting data on the credits earned and reporting this information annually, ensuring transparency and accountability in the probation system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 907.1, 907.9