Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:
A bill for an act establishing a medical release program for certain persons committed to the custody of the department of corrections.
Subcommittee members: Wilz, H.-CH, Gehlbach, Wilburn
Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: House Lounge 2
Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.
Comments Submitted:

01-21-2026
Roberta Gilbert
Today, every state except Iowa provides for compassionate release. Renagh OLeary, Compassionate Release and Decarceration in the States, 107 Iowa Law Rev. 621, 637 (2022). Please support passage of HSB 314.
01-24-2026
Judy Porter
I had worked in hospice care for 25 years, and my oldest sister was physically and mentally incapacitated since birth. As you can imagine, I witnessed what Nancy went through and experienced what she went through with the relentless struggles and problems she had ALL of her life. She would never belong in a prison setting. I'm speaking from first hand, real life personal experience. I worked in hospice care for a quarter of a century, with those who had terminal illness and serious medical condition that was assessed to be endstage. I can confidently say that a person with these conditions should absolutely not be incarcerated. It would be inhumane. PLEASE authorize the medical release of an incarcerated person with these conditions.Thank you,Judy Porter, MSW, LISW, ACSW