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House Study Bill 18 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the state public defender pilot project for
2child welfare legal representation.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 13B.13, Code 2023, is amended to read as
2follows:
313B.13 State public defender pilot project — child welfare
4legal representation.
5Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the
6contrary, for each fiscal year for the period beginning July 1,
72020, and ending June 30, 2024 2025, the state public defender
8may establish a pilot project to implement innovative models
9of legal representation in order to assist families involved
10in the child welfare system. The state public defender shall
11have sole discretion to establish and implement the pilot
12project. The state public defender may implement the new
13pilot project in up to six sixteen counties throughout the
14state. The purpose of the pilot project is to implement and
15study innovative ways, through a team approach or through other
16methods, to achieve positive outcomes for families, reduce
17trauma to young children, and deliver financial benefits to
18families and their communities. The state public defender
19may coordinate with other agencies and organizations to
20implement the pilot project, seek grant funding, and measure
21the results. The state public defender may appoint an attorney
22to represent an indigent person prior to initiation of formal
23proceedings, without court order, if such representation is
24deemed appropriate by the state public defender and relates to
25the purposes of the pilot project.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This bill relates to the state public defender pilot project
30for child welfare legal representation.
31The bill extends the ending date for a state public
32defender pilot project to implement innovative models of legal
33representation in order to assist families involved in the
34child welfare system from June 30, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
35The bill increases the number of counties in which a pilot
-1-1project may be implemented from 6 counties to 16 counties.
-2-as/rh
2child welfare legal representation.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 13B.13, Code 2023, is amended to read as
2follows:
313B.13 State public defender pilot project — child welfare
4legal representation.
5Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the
6contrary, for each fiscal year for the period beginning July 1,
72020, and ending June 30, 2024 2025, the state public defender
8may establish a pilot project to implement innovative models
9of legal representation in order to assist families involved
10in the child welfare system. The state public defender shall
11have sole discretion to establish and implement the pilot
12project. The state public defender may implement the new
13pilot project in up to six sixteen counties throughout the
14state. The purpose of the pilot project is to implement and
15study innovative ways, through a team approach or through other
16methods, to achieve positive outcomes for families, reduce
17trauma to young children, and deliver financial benefits to
18families and their communities. The state public defender
19may coordinate with other agencies and organizations to
20implement the pilot project, seek grant funding, and measure
21the results. The state public defender may appoint an attorney
22to represent an indigent person prior to initiation of formal
23proceedings, without court order, if such representation is
24deemed appropriate by the state public defender and relates to
25the purposes of the pilot project.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This bill relates to the state public defender pilot project
30for child welfare legal representation.
31The bill extends the ending date for a state public
32defender pilot project to implement innovative models of legal
33representation in order to assist families involved in the
34child welfare system from June 30, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
35The bill increases the number of counties in which a pilot
-1-1project may be implemented from 6 counties to 16 counties.
-2-as/rh