The bill amends existing laws regarding bail and bond amounts and conditions in Iowa. It stipulates that when an offense is bailable, the magistrate must set bail at the amount specified on the warrant unless that amount is lower than the uniform bond schedule, in which case the magistrate must provide written justification for any deviation. Additionally, a defendant can only be released on their own recognizance if charged with a nonviolent, nondrug simple or serious misdemeanor. The bill also clarifies that the bond schedule cannot be used for individuals arrested for specific serious offenses, including intimidation with a dangerous weapon or possession of firearms by felons.

Furthermore, the bill removes the previous limitation that the amount of an appearance bond deposit could not exceed 10 percent of the bond amount. It mandates that if a pretrial release evaluation is conducted by the Department of Corrections, the evaluator must verify all information before it is presented to the magistrate. Lastly, the bill requires the judicial council to revise and update the bond schedule to account for inflation since the last update in 2017, with a deadline for submission to the Supreme Court by July 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 804.21, 708.6, 811.1, 811.2, 602.1211