Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a law Tuesday more than doubling the mandatory minimum sentence for people convicted of a third felony offense, along with two other laws that restrict pretrial release and ban warrant resolution clinics.
Reynolds said the state has a responsibility to protect Iowans.
“These reforms reflect a simple principle: Iowa will stand with its victims, support law enforcement and prioritize public safety,” she said. “We believe in second chances, but we also recognize that continued criminal behavior demands accountability.”
People convicted of a third felony offense will be required to serve at least seven years in prison before becoming eligible for parole, up from the current three-year minimum.
The new law also raises the maximum prison sentence for a habitual offender from 15 years to 20 years, and it prohibits a deferred or suspended sentence for habitual offenders. It takes effect July 1.
Reynolds said this sends a clear message:
“If someone repeatedly commits serious crimes and refuses to change their behavior, there will be real consequences,” she said.
According to the Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC), the new law is projected to increase the state’s prison population by nearly 50% over the next three years.
The new law is projected to increase the state’s prison population by nearly 50% over the next three years, according to the Iowa Department of Corrections.
The department indicated that will require the expansion of two existing prisons and construction of three new medium-security prisons over the next five to seven years, with total construction costs estimated at about $2 billion. The DOC estimates operating costs of expanded and new prisons to cost the state an additional $115 million annually.
Reynolds said she discussed this issue with lawmakers and they will need to address prison capacity in the future.
Democratic Rep. Eric Gjerde, who is a police officer in Cedar Rapids, said states that passed similar laws in the 1990s experienced a spike in prison costs without a long-term drop in crime.
“As someone who works in the system every day, I can tell you the majority of repeat offenders are not deterred by the length of their sentence,” he said in a recent statement. “Many are driven by addiction, mental illness, trauma or economic desperation.”
According to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, the new law may disproportionately impact Black Iowans. Last fiscal year, 22% of those sentenced as habitual offenders were Black, while Iowa’s population is only 4% Black.
The bill passed the House in May by 66-20 and passed the Senate by 39-6.
Law tightens rules for bail
Reynolds signed a separate bill tightening laws around bail and pretrial release.
The new law requires magistrates to provide written justification if they set bail lower than the uniform bond schedule. It also directs the judicial council to adjust the bond schedule for inflation and submit it to the Iowa Supreme Court.
Defendants will only be eligible to be released with a promise to appear in court if they are charged with a nonviolent, non-drug-related simple or serious misdemeanor, or to receive necessary medical care.
Rep. Mike Vondran, R-Davenport, said his local police chief asked him to find a way to keep repeat offenders off the street.
“Too many times, with a simple measure of cash being laid on the table, somebody could walk and disappear on their own recognizance,” he said. “Today, that ends. Violent, charged offenders will no longer be able to walk the streets hours after the alleged incident.”
The bill passed the Senate by 38-7 in April and passed the House by 72-21. The new law takes effect July 1.
Warrant resolution clinics now banned
Reynolds also signed a law banning warrant resolution clinics, which took effect immediately.
House Republicans introduced a bill late in the legislative session to prohibit events aimed at resolving Iowans’ arrest warrants without sending them to jail.
They said Iowa’s first-ever warrant resolution clinic was to blame for the murder of Ashley Marie Hall, allegedly committed by a woman who went through the clinic a week before the murder. Hall’s mother attended Tuesday’s bill signings.
Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, said these bills are meaningful steps to making Iowa a safer place to live.
“The legislation being signed today is based on a simple principle: the first responsibility of government is to protect its citizens, period,” he said. “These bills are about accountability. They are about preventing future victims.”
Some Democratic lawmakers and Polk County officials who opposed the bill said that the warrant resolution clinic helped get about 50 people who were eluding law enforcement to schedule new court hearings and face their charges.
The bill passed the House by 71-20 and passed the Senate by 31-12.
