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House File 686 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to public disclosures of certain information
2in the child abuse registry relating to founded reports of
3child abuse involving sexual abuse.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 235A.15, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. Notwithstanding chapter 22, the confidentiality of
4all child abuse information shall be maintained, except as
5specifically provided by this section and section 235A.15A.
6 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 235A.15A Public dissemination of
7information contained in central registry — founded cases of
8child abuse involving sexual abuse.
91. Notwithstanding section 235A.15, the department shall
10maintain an internet site for the public and others to access
11relevant information about a person who is the subject of a
12founded report of child abuse involving sexual abuse that would
13constitute a tier II or tier III offense, as those terms are
14defined in section 692A.102, against a minor if the person
15was convicted. The internet site, at a minimum, shall be
16searchable by name, county, city, zip code, and geographic
17radius.
182. Relevant information received by the department and
19required to be displayed on the internet site pursuant to
20this subsection shall be made available on the internet site
21within five business days of the department determining an
22allegation of child abuse involving sexual abuse to be founded
23or determining that information maintained on the internet site
24requires an update or correction.
25a. The following relevant information about a person who
26is the subject of a founded report of child abuse involving
27sexual abuse pursuant to subsection 1 shall be disclosed on the
28internet site:
29(1) The person’s date of birth.
30(2) The person’s name, nickname, or aliases, including
31ethnic or tribal names.
32(3) The person’s photographs.
33(4) A physical description of the person, including scars,
34marks, or tattoos.
35(5) The person’s residence.
-1- 1(6) The statutory citation and text of the offense committed
2that requires registration under this chapter.
3(7) A specific reference indicating whether the person is
4subject to residency restrictions pursuant to section 692A.114.
5(8) A specific reference indicating whether the person is
6subject to exclusion zone restrictions pursuant to section
7692A.113.
8b. The following relevant information shall not be disclosed
9on the department’ s internet site:
10(1) Any relevant information about a person who is the
11subject of a founded report of child abuse involving sexual
12abuse pursuant to subsection 1 who was under twenty years of
13age at the time the abuse was committed that would constitute
14a violation of section 709.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”,
15subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (d), if convicted.
16(2) The employer name, address, or location where the person
17is employed, if applicable.
18(3) The address and name of any school where the person
19required to be on the registry attends, if applicable.
20(4) A real name protected under 18 U.S.C. §3521.
21(5) Any relevant information relating to the person who was
22under eighteen years of age when the abuse was committed.
23(6) The identity of the victim.
24(7) Information pertaining to unfounded or undetermined
25allegations of child abuse.
26(8) Passport and immigration documents.
27(9) A government-issued driver’s license or nondriver
28identification card.
29(10) DNA information.
30(11) Fingerprints.
31(12) Palm prints.
32(13) Professional licensing information.
33(14) A social security number.
34(15) Records that have been sealed or expunged pursuant to
35section 235A.18.
-2- 1(16) Any other relevant information not described in
2paragraph “a”.
3c. The department, at the department’s discretion, may
4disseminate any relevant information available on the internet
5site established in subsection 1 through any other means to the
6general public.
73. The department shall include on the internet site
8established in subsection 1 instructions and any applicable
9forms necessary for a person seeking correction of information
10that the person contends is erroneous.
114. Records and information not available pursuant to this
12section or other provisions of this chapter are confidential
13and not subject to examination and copying by a member of the
14public.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill relates to public disclosures of certain
19information in the child abuse registry.
20The bill requires the department of health and human
21services (HHS) to maintain an internet site for the public and
22others to access relevant information about a person who is the
23subject of a founded report of child abuse involving sexual
24abuse that would constitute a tier II or tier III offense, as
25those terms are defined in Code section 692A.102 (sex offense
26classifications), against a minor if the person was convicted.
27The internet site, at a minimum, must be searchable by name,
28county, city, zip code, and geographic radius.
29The bill requires HHS to make relevant information received
30by HHS and required to be displayed on the internet site
31available on the internet site within five business days of HHS
32determining an allegation of child abuse involving sexual abuse
33is founded or determining that information maintained on the
34internet site requires an update or correction.
35The bill details the type of information that is relevant
-3-1information about a person who is the subject of a founded
2report of child abuse involving sexual abuse that shall
3be disclosed on the HHS internet site and what types of
4information shall not be included on the internet site.
5The bill allows HHS, at HHS’s discretion, to disseminate any
6relevant information available on the internet site through any
7other means to the general public.
8The bill requires HHS to include instructions and any
9applicable forms necessary for a person seeking correction
10of information that the person contends is erroneous on the
11internet site.
12The bill establishes that records and information not
13available on the internet site or Code chapter 235A (child
14abuse) are confidential and not subject to examination and
15copying by a member of the public.
-4-dg/rh
2in the child abuse registry relating to founded reports of
3child abuse involving sexual abuse.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 235A.15, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. Notwithstanding chapter 22, the confidentiality of
4all child abuse information shall be maintained, except as
5specifically provided by this section and section 235A.15A.
6 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 235A.15A Public dissemination of
7information contained in central registry — founded cases of
8child abuse involving sexual abuse.
91. Notwithstanding section 235A.15, the department shall
10maintain an internet site for the public and others to access
11relevant information about a person who is the subject of a
12founded report of child abuse involving sexual abuse that would
13constitute a tier II or tier III offense, as those terms are
14defined in section 692A.102, against a minor if the person
15was convicted. The internet site, at a minimum, shall be
16searchable by name, county, city, zip code, and geographic
17radius.
182. Relevant information received by the department and
19required to be displayed on the internet site pursuant to
20this subsection shall be made available on the internet site
21within five business days of the department determining an
22allegation of child abuse involving sexual abuse to be founded
23or determining that information maintained on the internet site
24requires an update or correction.
25a. The following relevant information about a person who
26is the subject of a founded report of child abuse involving
27sexual abuse pursuant to subsection 1 shall be disclosed on the
28internet site:
29(1) The person’s date of birth.
30(2) The person’s name, nickname, or aliases, including
31ethnic or tribal names.
32(3) The person’s photographs.
33(4) A physical description of the person, including scars,
34marks, or tattoos.
35(5) The person’s residence.
-1- 1(6) The statutory citation and text of the offense committed
2that requires registration under this chapter.
3(7) A specific reference indicating whether the person is
4subject to residency restrictions pursuant to section 692A.114.
5(8) A specific reference indicating whether the person is
6subject to exclusion zone restrictions pursuant to section
7692A.113.
8b. The following relevant information shall not be disclosed
9on the department’ s internet site:
10(1) Any relevant information about a person who is the
11subject of a founded report of child abuse involving sexual
12abuse pursuant to subsection 1 who was under twenty years of
13age at the time the abuse was committed that would constitute
14a violation of section 709.4, subsection 1, paragraph “b”,
15subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (d), if convicted.
16(2) The employer name, address, or location where the person
17is employed, if applicable.
18(3) The address and name of any school where the person
19required to be on the registry attends, if applicable.
20(4) A real name protected under 18 U.S.C. §3521.
21(5) Any relevant information relating to the person who was
22under eighteen years of age when the abuse was committed.
23(6) The identity of the victim.
24(7) Information pertaining to unfounded or undetermined
25allegations of child abuse.
26(8) Passport and immigration documents.
27(9) A government-issued driver’s license or nondriver
28identification card.
29(10) DNA information.
30(11) Fingerprints.
31(12) Palm prints.
32(13) Professional licensing information.
33(14) A social security number.
34(15) Records that have been sealed or expunged pursuant to
35section 235A.18.
-2- 1(16) Any other relevant information not described in
2paragraph “a”.
3c. The department, at the department’s discretion, may
4disseminate any relevant information available on the internet
5site established in subsection 1 through any other means to the
6general public.
73. The department shall include on the internet site
8established in subsection 1 instructions and any applicable
9forms necessary for a person seeking correction of information
10that the person contends is erroneous.
114. Records and information not available pursuant to this
12section or other provisions of this chapter are confidential
13and not subject to examination and copying by a member of the
14public.
15EXPLANATION
16The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
17the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
18This bill relates to public disclosures of certain
19information in the child abuse registry.
20The bill requires the department of health and human
21services (HHS) to maintain an internet site for the public and
22others to access relevant information about a person who is the
23subject of a founded report of child abuse involving sexual
24abuse that would constitute a tier II or tier III offense, as
25those terms are defined in Code section 692A.102 (sex offense
26classifications), against a minor if the person was convicted.
27The internet site, at a minimum, must be searchable by name,
28county, city, zip code, and geographic radius.
29The bill requires HHS to make relevant information received
30by HHS and required to be displayed on the internet site
31available on the internet site within five business days of HHS
32determining an allegation of child abuse involving sexual abuse
33is founded or determining that information maintained on the
34internet site requires an update or correction.
35The bill details the type of information that is relevant
-3-1information about a person who is the subject of a founded
2report of child abuse involving sexual abuse that shall
3be disclosed on the HHS internet site and what types of
4information shall not be included on the internet site.
5The bill allows HHS, at HHS’s discretion, to disseminate any
6relevant information available on the internet site through any
7other means to the general public.
8The bill requires HHS to include instructions and any
9applicable forms necessary for a person seeking correction
10of information that the person contends is erroneous on the
11internet site.
12The bill establishes that records and information not
13available on the internet site or Code chapter 235A (child
14abuse) are confidential and not subject to examination and
15copying by a member of the public.
-4-dg/rh