House File 2323 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  WATTS


    Passed House, Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the preservation of and access to historical
  2    court records.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5286YH 82
  5 jm/nh/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  602.1615  HISTORICAL RECORD
  1  2 PRESERVATION.
  1  3    The clerk of the district court shall consult with a
  1  4 recognized county historical society or association to ensure
  1  5 preservation of historical court records and to provide public
  1  6 access to such records as provided in section 602.8103.
  1  7    Sec. 2.  Section 602.8103, subsection 3, Code Supplement
  1  8 2007, is amended to read as follows:
  1  9    3.  After the original record is reproduced and after
  1 10 approval of a majority of the judges of the district court by
  1 11 court order, destroy the original records including, but not
  1 12 limited to, dockets, journals, scrapbooks, files, and marriage
  1 13 license applications.  The order shall state the specific
  1 14 records which are to be destroyed.  An original court file
  1 15 shall not be destroyed until after consultation with a
  1 16 recognized historical society or association, and the contents
  1 17 have been reproduced.  As used in this subsection and
  1 18 subsection 4, "destroy" includes the transmission of the
  1 19 original records which are of general historical interest to
  1 20 any recognized historical society or association.
  1 21
  1 22                           EXPLANATION
  1 23    This bill relates to the preservation of and access to
  1 24 historical court records.
  1 25    The bill requires the clerk of the district court to
  1 26 consult with a recognized county historical society or
  1 27 association prior to the destruction of a court file to ensure
  1 28 the preservation of and public access to such records.
  1 29 LSB 5286YH 82
  1 30 jm/nh/14