HF 2247 (LSB 1212HZ (5) 90)

CONCERNING JUDICIAL BRANCH ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING  MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES, ACCESS TO AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF  JUROR INFORMATION, REMOTE TESTIMONY, AND ACCESS TO CRIMINAL  HISTORY RECORDS. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

DIVISION I
PATIENT ADVOCATES

    Section 1.  Section 229.19, subsection 1, paragraph d, subparagraph (7), Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (7)  To utilize the related best practices for the duties identified in this paragraph “d” developed and promulgated by the judicial council.
DIVISION II
JURORS —— INFORMATION

    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  607A.48  Public access to juror information.
   1.  Public access to juror and prospective juror information shall be limited. Information on the year of birth and address information identifying the city and zip code of prospective 

jurors shall be available to the public. However, more specific address information, phone numbers, and the date and month of birth of prospective jurors are confidential and not subject to disclosure without an order of the court.
   2.  Notwithstanding subsection 1, attorneys representing parties to the case are entitled to the complete juror questionnaires of jurors and prospective jurors without order of the court.
DIVISION III
REMOTE TESTIMONY

    Sec. 3.  Section 624.1, subsection 1, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  All issues of fact in ordinary actions shall be tried upon oral evidence taken in open court, except that depositions may be used as provided by law.  “Open court” includes remote testimony of a witness by telephone, videoconference, or other remote means of communication approved by the court.
DIVISION IV
ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS

    Sec. 4.  Section 692.2, subsection 5, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  A person other than the department of public safety shall not disseminate criminal history data maintained by the department to persons who are not criminal or juvenile justice agencies, except as set forth in section 692.3.
    Sec. 5.  Section 692.3, subsection 3, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   3.  The information described in this section subsections 1 and 2 may be redisseminated through any written, audio, or visual means utilized by a criminal or juvenile justice agency.
    Sec. 6.  Section 692.3, Code 2024, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  A person may disseminate criminal history data of an accused to the attorney of the accused and to self-represented litigants in a pending criminal matter in district or juvenile court, if the criminal history data is already part of the prosecution’s file and subject to a discovery obligation.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  5.  Upon order of the court, a person may disseminate criminal history data of an accused that is not already part of the prosecution’s file, or criminal history data of a witness, to the attorney of the accused, prosecutors, and to self-represented litigants in a pending criminal matter in district or juvenile court.

______________________________
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House

______________________________
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate

   I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and is known as House File 2247, Ninetieth General Assembly.

______________________________
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk of the House

Approved _______________, 2024

______________________________
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor