House File 647 amends Section 803.3 of the Iowa Code regarding the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. The new provisions establish that if the county where an offense was committed cannot be determined, the trial will take place in the county of the victim's residence. In cases where there is no victim, the victim is not a resident of Iowa, or their residence cannot be established, the trial will be held in the county of the accused's residence. Additionally, if the victim is not a natural person, the trial can occur in any county where the victim has a physical presence.

Furthermore, if there are multiple victims, the trial may be held in any county where a victim resides, with priority given to the county of residence of natural person victims over other victims. This bill aims to clarify and streamline the process of determining the appropriate venue for trials involving criminal offenses, ensuring that victims' locations are taken into account when establishing trial locations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 803.3
Enrolled: 803.3