This bill aims to enhance protections for victims of sexual assault in Iowa by amending various legal provisions related to victim counselors, protective orders, sex offender registration, and the rights of sexual abuse victims. Key amendments include clarifying the definition of "confidential communication" between victims and counselors, ensuring that victim counselors cannot be compelled to disclose confidential information in legal proceedings except under specific circumstances, such as when the victim waives the privilege or when there is an imminent risk of serious harm. The bill also introduces a new provision granting immunity to victim counselors and crime victim centers for good faith disclosures of records and communications. Additionally, it allows protective orders to be extended indefinitely if the defendant poses a continued threat and reduces the notification time frame for sex offenders regarding changes in residence or employment from five to three business days.

Further provisions strengthen the rights of sexual abuse victims by mandating the preservation of sexual assault examination kits for a minimum of twenty years or for the lifetime of a minor victim, and ensuring timely notifications regarding the status and disposal of these kits. The bill also establishes the right for victims to request the presence of a victim counselor during related proceedings and outlines conditions for disclosing confidential communications. It introduces new procedures for evaluating a defendant's mental competency, prioritizes restitution payments to victims, and reclassifies reimbursements from the crime victim compensation program as category A restitution. Additionally, it mandates that sexual assault nurse examiners complete a forensic examiner program and expands the definition of a victim to include foster parents or custodians, allowing them to qualify as secondary victims in these proceedings.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 915.20A, 236A.7, 709.8, 692A.104, 664A.3, 910.1, 915.80, 815.9, 915.46