The proposed bill establishes a new capital murder offense for the intentional killing of a peace officer while on duty, introducing the death penalty as a potential punishment. It amends existing laws to ensure that qualified counsel is provided to indigent defendants facing capital charges and outlines the qualifications for attorneys in these cases. The Iowa Supreme Court is mandated to automatically review any death sentences, prioritizing these cases over other criminal actions. Key amendments include defining the intentional killing of a peace officer as a capital offense and establishing procedures for assessing the sanity of condemned inmates prior to execution.

Additionally, the bill introduces a structured process for capital murder trials, including separate guilt and sentencing phases, and emphasizes that recommendations for death sentences must be free from bias related to race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It specifies that a death sentence can only be imposed if the jury or judge finds the defendant was a major participant in the crime with reckless indifference to human life. The bill also includes provisions for lethal injection executions, protections for pregnant defendants, and allows state employees to opt out of participating in executions without discrimination. The legislation is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and applies only to offenses committed after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13.2, 902.15, 707.2, 902.1A, 13B.4