Senate File 260 - Introduced SENATE FILE 260 BY PETERSEN A BILL FOR An Act relating to background investigations for certification 1 or recertification as a law enforcement officer. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1504XS (4) 90 as/rh

S.F. 260 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 80B.17A Background investigation 1 prior to certification or recertification. 2 1. For purposes of this section, “moral turpitude” is 3 defined as an act of baseness, vileness, or depravity in the 4 private and social duties which a person owes to another person 5 or to society in general, and includes conduct that is contrary 6 to justice, honesty, or good morals. 7 2. All law enforcement officers shall be certified through 8 the successful completion of training at an approved law 9 enforcement training facility. Prior to enrollment in a 10 certifying training program, all law enforcement officers shall 11 be of good moral character as determined through a thorough 12 background investigation and shall not have been convicted 13 of any felony or a crime or adjudication involving moral 14 turpitude, including but not limited to any of the following: 15 a. A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in 16 section 724.26, subsection 2, paragraph “c” , or other offenses 17 of domestic violence. 18 b. An adjudication of delinquency based on conduct that 19 would constitute a felony if committed by an adult. 20 c. Any sex crime or crime listed in chapter 709. 21 d. Any crime committed as an adult that resulted in being 22 listed on the sex offender registry. 23 e. An adjudication of delinquency based on conduct that 24 would constitute a crime if committed by an adult that resulted 25 in being listed on the sex offender registry. 26 f. Any crime involving child abuse as defined in section 27 232.68, subsection 2, resulting in placement in the central 28 registry as a case of founded child abuse under section 29 232.71D. 30 3. All law enforcement officers seeking recertification 31 shall be subject to a background investigation as provided in 32 subsection 2. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -1- LSB 1504XS (4) 90 as/rh 1/ 2

S.F. 260 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill relates to background investigations for 2 certification or recertification as a law enforcement officer. 3 The bill provides that prior to enrollment in a certifying 4 training program, all law enforcement officers shall be of good 5 moral character as determined through a thorough background 6 investigation and shall not have been convicted of any felony 7 or a crime or adjudication involving moral turpitude. The bill 8 defines “moral turpitude” as an act of baseness, vileness, 9 or depravity in the private and social duties which a person 10 owes to another person or to society in general, and includes 11 conduct that is contrary to justice, honesty, or good morals. 12 The bill provides that a crime or adjudication involving 13 moral turpitude includes but is not limited to any of the 14 following: offenses of domestic violence; an adjudication of 15 delinquency based on conduct that would constitute a felony if 16 committed by an adult; any sex crime or crime listed in Code 17 chapter 709 (sexual abuse); any crime committed as an adult 18 that resulted in being listed on the sex offender registry; 19 an adjudication of delinquency based on conduct that would 20 constitute a crime if committed by an adult that resulted 21 in being listed on the sex offender registry; or any crime 22 involving child abuse. 23 The bill provides that law enforcement officers seeking 24 recertification shall be subject to the same background 25 investigation. 26 -2- LSB 1504XS (4) 90 as/rh 2/ 2