House File 587 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 587 BY BENNETT , T. TAYLOR , WOLFE , R. SMITH , and ABDUL-SAMAD A BILL FOR An Act relating to the appointment of a special prosecutor 1 after a peace officer discharges a firearm while on duty 2 that results in a bodily injury, serious injury, or death. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2049YH (3) 87 jm/rj

H.F. 587 Section 1. Section 13.2, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 1 2017, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. Prosecute and defend in any other court or tribunal, all 3 actions and proceedings, civil or criminal, in which the state 4 may be a party or interested, when, in the attorney general’s 5 judgment, the interest of the state requires such action, or 6 when requested to do so by the governor, executive council, or 7 general assembly , or when the law requires such action . 8 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 13.35 Special prosecutor —— injury or 9 death resulting from actions of peace officer involving firearm. 10 1. As used in this section, “peace officer” means the same 11 as defined in section 801.4. 12 2. If a peace officer discharges a firearm while on duty 13 that results in a bodily injury, serious injury, or death, the 14 attorney general shall be designated a special prosecutor to 15 investigate the matter and file charges if appropriate. The 16 attorney general may convene a grand jury or proceed by the 17 filing a trial information. The county attorney shall not have 18 jurisdiction over the matter. 19 3. The county where the incident occurred shall pay the 20 expenses of the attorney general in the matter. 21 Sec. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF ACT. Section 25B.2, subsection 22 3, shall not apply to this Act. 23 EXPLANATION 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 25 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 26 This bill relates to the appointment of a special prosecutor 27 after a peace officer discharges a firearm while on duty that 28 results in a bodily injury, serious injury, or death. 29 Under the bill, if a peace officer discharges a firearm 30 while on duty that results in a bodily injury, serious injury, 31 or death, the attorney general shall be designated a special 32 prosecutor, proceed with investigating the matter, and convene 33 a grand jury if necessary unless the attorney general proceeds 34 by the filing of a trial information. The county attorney 35 -1- LSB 2049YH (3) 87 jm/rj 1/ 2

H.F. 587 shall not have jurisdiction over the matter. 1 The bill further specifies that the county where the 2 incident occurred shall pay the expenses of the attorney 3 general in the matter. 4 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 5 section 25B.3. The bill makes inapplicable Code section 25B.2, 6 subsection 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from 7 complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of 8 the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, 9 political subdivisions are required to comply with any state 10 mandate included in the bill. 11 -2- LSB 2049YH (3) 87 jm/rj 2/ 2