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House File 2241

Partial Bill History

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  701.11  EVIDENCE OF SIMILAR
  1  2 OFFENSES – SEXUAL ABUSE – CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS.
  1  3    1.  Notwithstanding any other provision in the Code to the
  1  4 contrary, in a criminal prosecution in which a defendant has
  1  5 been charged with sexual abuse, evidence of the defendant's
  1  6 commission of another sexual abuse offense is admissible and
  1  7 may be considered for its bearing on any matter for which the
  1  8 evidence is relevant.
  1  9    2.  If the prosecution intends to offer evidence pursuant
  1 10 to this section, the prosecution shall disclose such evidence
  1 11 to the defendant, including statements of witnesses or a
  1 12 summary of the substance of any testimony that is expected to
  1 13 be offered, ten days prior to the scheduled date of trial.
  1 14 The court may for good cause shown permit disclosure less than
  1 15 ten days prior to the scheduled date of trial.
  1 16    3.  For purposes of this section, "sexual abuse" means any
  1 17 commission of or conviction for a crime defined in chapter 709
  1 18 or section 728.12, subsection 1.  "Sexual abuse" also means
  1 19 any commission of or conviction for a crime in another
  1 20 jurisdiction under a statute that is substantially similar to
  1 21 any crime defined in chapter 709 or section 728.12, subsection
  1 22 1.
  1 23    4.  Any Iowa rule of evidence in contravention of this
  1 24 section is void when applied to this section.
  1 25    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  701.11A  EVIDENCE OF SIMILAR
  1 26 OFFENSES – SEXUAL ABUSE – CIVIL PROCEEDINGS.
  1 27    1.  In any civil case in which a claim for damages or other
  1 28 relief is predicated on a respondent's alleged commission of
  1 29 sexual abuse, evidence of the respondent's commission of
  1 30 another sexual abuse offense is admissible and may be
  1 31 considered for its bearing on any matter for which the
  1 32 evidence is relevant.
  1 33    2.  If the plaintiff intends to offer evidence pursuant to
  1 34 this section, the plaintiff shall disclose such evidence to
  1 35 the respondent, including statements of witnesses or a summary
  2  1 of the substance of any testimony that is expected to be
  2  2 offered, fifteen days prior to the scheduled date of trial.
  2  3 The court may for good cause shown permit disclosure less than
  2  4 fifteen days prior to the scheduled date of trial.
  2  5    3.  For purposes of this section, "sexual abuse" means any
  2  6 commission of or conviction for a crime defined in chapter 709
  2  7 or section 728.12, subsection 1.  "Sexual abuse" also means
  2  8 any commission of or conviction for a crime in another
  2  9 jurisdiction under a statute that is substantially similar to
  2 10 any crime defined in chapter 709 or section 728.12, subsection
  2 11 1.
  2 12    4.  Any Iowa rule of evidence in contravention of this
  2 13 section is void when applied to this section.  
  2 14                           EXPLANATION
  2 15    This bill relates to the admissibility of prior sexual
  2 16 abuse offenses into evidence in criminal and civil
  2 17 proceedings.
  2 18    The bill provides that in a criminal prosecution in which a
  2 19 defendant has been charged with a sexual abuse-related
  2 20 offense, evidence of the commission of another sexual abuse
  2 21 offense by the defendant is admissible for its bearing on any
  2 22 matter which is relevant.
  2 23    The bill provides that in a civil case in which a claim for
  2 24 damages or other relief is predicated on a person's alleged
  2 25 commission of sexual abuse, evidence of the person's
  2 26 commission of another sexual abuse offense is admissible into
  2 27 evidence in the same manner as in criminal proceedings under
  2 28 this bill.
  2 29    The bill defines "sexual abuse" to mean any commission of
  2 30 or conviction for a crime defined in Code chapter 709, or
  2 31 sexual exploitation of a minor in Code section 728.12,
  2 32 subsection 1.  The bill also defines "sexual abuse" to mean
  2 33 any commission of or conviction for a crime in another
  2 34 jurisdiction under a statute that is substantially similar to
  2 35 any crime defined in Code chapter 709 or Code section 728.12,
  3  1 subsection 1.
  3  2    The bill also voids any Iowa rule of evidence in
  3  3 contravention of this bill when applied to the bill.  Current
  3  4 Iowa rule of evidence 5.404(b) only permits the admissibility
  3  5 of a prior crime, wrong, or act for purposes of proving
  3  6 motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge,
  3  7 identity, or absence of mistake or accident.  
  3  8 LSB 5258HH 79
  3  9 jm/pj/5
     

Text: HF02240                           Text: HF02242
Text: HF02200 - HF02299                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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