The bill outlines appropriations for the Iowa justice system for the fiscal year 2025-2026, allocating significant funding across various departments, including the Department of Justice, the Office of Consumer Advocate, and the Department of Corrections. Key provisions include over $10 million for the attorney general's office, $5.1 million for victim assistance grants, and $2.6 million for legal services for individuals in poverty. The bill emphasizes the importance of maintaining records of time incurred by agencies and allows for temporary budget excesses under certain conditions. It also mandates reporting on non-general fund sources and encourages the employment of additional staff based on federal funding availability.

Significant amendments in the bill include adjustments to compensation rates for appointed attorneys, increasing hourly rates for class A and B felonies, and modifying appropriations from the consumer education and litigation fund to enhance funding for fraud investigations against older Iowans. The bill also introduces a new funding structure for the Department of Corrections, allowing the use of proceeds from real estate sales for system upgrades and establishing a federal receipts fund for DOC operations. This fund will not revert at the end of the fiscal year, with interest credited to it, and the changes are effective immediately upon enactment, applying retroactively to the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 915.94, 815.7, 714.16C, 714.16