House Study Bill 62 SENATE/HOUSE FILE BY (PROPOSED JUDICIAL BRANCH BILL) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating the criminal offense of interference with 2 judicial acts, and providing a penalty. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1381DP 82 5 jm/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 720.7 INTERFERENCE WITH JUDICIAL 1 2 ACTS == PENALTY. 1 3 1. As used in this section: 1 4 a. "Court employee" means the same as defined in section 1 5 602.1101. 1 6 b. "Judicial officer" means the same as defined in section 1 7 602.1101. 1 8 c. "Family member" means a spouse, son, daughter, brother, 1 9 sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, 1 10 father=in=law, mother=in=law, son=in=law, daughter=in=law, 1 11 brother=in=law, sister=in=law, father, mother, stepfather, 1 12 stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, 1 13 half brother, or half sister. 1 14 2. A person who harasses a judicial officer, court 1 15 employee, or a family member of a judicial officer or a court 1 16 employee in violation of section 708.7, with the intent to 1 17 interfere with or improperly influence, or in retaliation for, 1 18 the official acts of a judicial officer or court employee, 1 19 commits a class "D" felony. 1 20 EXPLANATION 1 21 This bill creates a criminal offense for interference with 1 22 judicial acts. 1 23 Under the bill, a person who harasses a judicial officer, 1 24 court employee, or a family member of a judicial officer or 1 25 court employee in violation of Code section 708.7, with the 1 26 intent to interfere with or improperly influence, or in 1 27 retaliation for, the official acts of a judicial officer or 1 28 court employee, commits a class "D" felony. 1 29 A class "D" felony is punishable by confinement for no more 1 30 than five years and a fine of at least $750 but not more than 1 31 $7,500. 1 32 LSB 1381DP 82 1 33 jm:nh/je/5.1