House File 554 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 136) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to a criminal defendant filing an application for 2 postconviction relief. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1103HV 82 5 jm/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 822.2, subsection 1, unnumbered 1 2 paragraph 1, Code 2007, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 Any person who has been convicted of, or sentenced for,a 1 4 publican indictable offense as defined in section 801.4 and 1 5 who claims any of the following may institute, without paying 1 6 a filing fee, a proceeding under this chapter to secure 1 7 relief: 1 8 EXPLANATION 1 9 This bill relates to a criminal defendant filing an 1 10 application for postconviction relief. 1 11 The bill prohibits a person convicted of a simple 1 12 misdemeanor from filing an application for relief. The bill 1 13 does not prohibit any other criminal defendant from filing an 1 14 application for postconviction relief. 1 15 An application for postconviction relief generally is an 1 16 application to the court, after an unsuccessful appeal, by a 1 17 criminal defendant attacking the constitutionality or validity 1 18 of the sentence of the criminal defendant. 1 19 LSB 1103HV 82 1 20 jm:nh/je/5