The Iowa House and Senate are sending a bill (HF 2542) to the governor that increases the required minimum sentence for repeat felony offenders.
The compromise between the chambers requires a person to serve at least seven years in prison after they are convicted of a third felony. The current mandatory minimum is three years.
Rep. Steven Holt, D-Denison, said the bill does not allow a minimum sentence to be reduced even for something like good behavior.
“This is huge because now we will truly have a three strikes you’re out standard in Iowa,” Holt said. “We are closing the revolving door.”
Some Democrats who opposed the bill said it will increase spending on incarceration when the state should spend more on crime prevention.