The bill outlines appropriations for the Iowa justice system for the fiscal year 2025-2026, focusing on various departments such as the Department of Justice, the Office of Consumer Advocate, and the Department of Corrections. Key allocations include funding for the attorney general's office, victim assistance grants, legal services for low-income individuals, and the operation of correctional facilities. It mandates the Department of Justice to maintain records of agency representation time and allows for temporary exceeding of appropriated amounts under specific conditions. The bill also emphasizes educational programs for inmates, the maintenance of drug courts, and the use of inmate labor for community service, while ensuring that no programs are eliminated through reallocation of appropriations within the Department of Corrections.

Significant changes include new hourly rates for public defenders based on felony classifications, adjustments to appropriations from the consumer education and litigation fund, and the establishment of a federal receipts fund under the Department of Corrections to manage federal funds. The bill also outlines administrative procedures for the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy regarding officer certification actions and protects the confidentiality of communications between peer support counselors and law enforcement personnel. Provisions are deemed of immediate importance and take effect upon enactment, with certain sections applying retroactively to the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 915.94, 815.7, 714.16C, 714.16, 80B.13A, 622.10, 904.317