House
File
2174
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
2174
BY
LOHSE
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
providing
for
a
task
force
to
address
legal
services
for
1
indigent
parties.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
602.1615
Legal
services
for
1
indigent
parties
task
force.
2
1.
The
judicial
branch
shall
establish
a
task
force
that
3
shall
do
all
of
the
following:
4
a.
Identify
how
legal
services
are
delivered
in
this
state
5
to
indigent
parties
in
criminal,
juvenile,
and
child
abuse
and
6
neglect
proceedings
statewide.
7
b.
Recommend
improvements
to
the
delivery
of
legal
services
8
to
indigent
parties.
9
c.
Recommend
methods
for
providing
legal
services
in
cases
10
involving
conflicts
of
interest
where
local
public
defenders
11
may
be
unable
to
accept
representation.
12
d.
Evaluate
and
recommend
ways
to
ensure
indigent
parties
13
receive
competent
representation.
14
e.
Identify
potential
funding
options
to
support
the
15
delivery
of
legal
services
for
indigent
parties.
16
f.
Identify
strategies
to
increase
the
number
of
qualified
17
attorneys
needed
to
provide
legal
representation
to
all
18
residents
of
this
state.
19
2.
The
task
force
shall
consist
of
the
following
members:
20
a.
A
member
appointed
by
the
chief
justice
of
the
supreme
21
court.
22
b.
A
member
appointed
by
the
governor.
23
c.
A
member
appointed
by
the
attorney
general.
24
d.
A
member
appointed
by
the
state
public
defender.
25
e.
A
member
in
good
standing
with
the
Iowa
state
bar
26
association
appointed
by
the
association.
27
f.
A
member
in
good
standing
with
the
Iowa
association
for
28
justice
appointed
by
the
association.
29
g.
A
county
attorney
appointed
by
the
Iowa
county
attorneys
30
association.
31
h.
A
member
appointed
by
the
dean
of
the
Drake
university
32
law
school.
33
i.
A
member
appointed
by
the
dean
of
the
university
of
Iowa
34
college
of
law.
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j.
A
member
of
the
house
of
representatives
appointed
by
the
1
speaker
of
the
house.
2
k.
A
member
of
the
senate
appointed
by
the
majority
leader
3
of
the
senate.
4
3.
For
the
period
beginning
July
1,
2026,
and
ending
5
November
15,
2030,
the
task
force
shall
convene
at
least
once
6
each
calendar
year,
and
may
convene
more
frequently
as
deemed
7
necessary
by
a
majority
vote
of
the
task
force.
8
4.
For
the
period
beginning
July
1,
2026,
and
ending
9
November
15,
2030,
the
judicial
branch
shall
submit
a
report
10
to
the
governor
and
the
general
assembly
containing
the
task
11
force’s
findings
and
recommendations
on
or
before
November
15
12
annually.
13
5.
Members
of
the
task
force
shall
serve
without
14
compensation
but
may
be
reimbursed
for
actual
expenses
in
15
the
performance
of
their
duties.
Task
force
members
who
are
16
members
of
the
general
assembly
shall
be
paid
in
accordance
17
with
section
2.32A.
The
remaining
task
force
members
shall
be
18
reimbursed
from
moneys
appropriated
for
the
purpose
of
this
19
section
or
otherwise
appropriated
to
the
judicial
branch.
20
6.
This
section
is
repealed
November
15,
2030,
and
the
task
21
force
shall
dissolve
on
that
date.
22
EXPLANATION
23
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
24
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
25
This
bill
directs
the
judicial
branch
to
establish
a
task
26
force
to
investigate
the
statewide
delivery
of
legal
services
27
to
indigent
parties
in
criminal,
juvenile,
and
child
abuse
28
and
neglect
proceedings
and
to
develop
recommendations
to
29
improve
service
delivery,
address
public
defender
conflicts
of
30
interest,
ensure
competent
representation,
identify
sustainable
31
funding,
and
increase
the
number
of
qualified
attorneys
32
available
to
serve
indigent
Iowans.
33
The
required
members
of
the
task
force
are
specified
in
the
34
bill.
The
bill
provides
that
for
the
period
beginning
July
1,
35
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2026,
and
ending
November
15,
2030,
the
task
force
must
convene
1
at
least
once
per
year.
The
bill
requires
the
judicial
branch
2
to
submit
a
report
to
the
governor
and
the
general
assembly
by
3
November
15
each
year
through
2030.
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