House File 389 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 389 BY FISHER A BILL FOR An Act relating to an habitual offender, and providing 1 penalties. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2287YH (3) 87 jm/rj
H.F. 389 Section 1. Section 902.8, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 902.8 Minimum sentence —— habitual offender. 3 An habitual offender is any person convicted of a class “B”, 4 class “C” , or a class “D” felony, who has twice before been 5 convicted of any felony in a court of this or any other state, 6 or of the United States. An offense is a felony if, by the law 7 under which the person is convicted, it is so classified at 8 the time of the person’s conviction. A person sentenced as an 9 habitual offender shall not be eligible for parole until the 10 person has served the minimum sentence of confinement of three 11 years. 12 Sec. 2. Section 902.9, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2017, 13 is amended to read as follows: 14 c. An habitual offender shall be confined for no more than 15 fifteen years twice the maximum sentence as determined by this 16 section or as otherwise prescribed by statute . 17 Sec. 3. Section 902.12, Code 2017, is amended by adding the 18 following new subsection: 19 NEW SUBSECTION . 4. A person serving a sentence for a 20 conviction as an habitual offender under section 902.8 shall 21 be denied parole or work release until the person has served 22 at least seven-tenths of the maximum term of the person’s 23 sentence. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This bill relates to an habitual offender, and provides 28 penalties. 29 Currently, an habitual offender is any person convicted of 30 a class “C” or a class “D” felony, who has twice before been 31 convicted of any felony in a court of this or any other state, 32 or of the United States. In addition, current law provides 33 that the maximum sentence for an habitual offender is 15 years 34 of confinement upon conviction of a class “C” or class “D” 35 -1- LSB 2287YH (3) 87 jm/rj 1/ 2
H.F. 389 felony, which results in five more years of confinement for a 1 class “C” felony conviction and 10 more years of confinement 2 for a class “D” felony conviction. 3 The bill expands the persons eligible for an habitual 4 offender sentence to include a person who commits a class “B” 5 felony if that person has twice before been convicted of any 6 felony in a court of this or any other state, or of the United 7 States. 8 The bill replaces the maximum habitual offender sentence 9 of 15 years of confinement with a sentence that is twice the 10 maximum sentence for the felony committed as determined by 11 Code section 902.9 or twice the maximum sentence as otherwise 12 prescribed by the statute violated. 13 A person convicted as an habitual offender under the bill 14 shall also be denied parole or work release until the person 15 has served at least seven-tenths of the maximum term of the 16 person’s sentence. 17 -2- LSB 2287YH (3) 87 jm/rj 2/ 2