HF 2572 (LSB 5565HV (3) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2572

BY  COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2174)

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for a task force to address legal services for indigent parties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  602.1615  Legal services for indigent parties task force.
   1.  The judicial branch shall establish a task force that shall do all of the following:
   a.  Identify how legal services are delivered in this state to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse and neglect proceedings statewide.
   b.  Recommend improvements to the delivery of legal services to indigent parties.
   c.  Recommend methods for providing legal services in cases involving conflicts of interest where local public defenders may be unable to accept representation.
   d.  Evaluate and recommend ways to ensure indigent parties receive competent representation.
   e.  Identify potential funding options to support the delivery of legal services for indigent parties.
   f.  Identify strategies to increase the number of qualified attorneys needed to provide legal representation to all residents of this state.
   2.  The task force shall consist of the following members:
   a.  A member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.
   b.  A member appointed by the governor.
   c.  A member appointed by the attorney general.
   d.  A member appointed by the state public defender.
   e.  A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar association appointed by the association.
   f.  A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar association who has been licensed to practice for five years or less appointed by the association.
   g.  A member in good standing with the Iowa association for justice appointed by the association.
   h.  A county attorney appointed by the Iowa county attorneys association.
   i.  A member appointed by the dean of the Drake university law school.
   j.  A member appointed by the dean of the university of Iowa college of law.
   k.  A member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house.
   l.  A member of the senate appointed by the majority leader of the senate.
   3.  For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending November 15, 2030, the task force shall convene at least once each calendar year, and may convene more frequently as deemed necessary by a majority vote of the task force.
   4.  For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending November 15, 2030, the judicial branch shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly containing the task force’s findings and recommendations on or before November 15 annually.
   5.  Members of the task force shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses in the performance of their duties. Task force members who are members of the general assembly shall be paid in accordance with section 2.32A. The remaining task force members shall be reimbursed from moneys appropriated for the purpose of this section or otherwise appropriated to the judicial branch.
   6.  This section is repealed November 15, 2030, and the task force shall dissolve on that date.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill directs the judicial branch to establish a task force to investigate the statewide delivery of legal services to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse and neglect proceedings and to develop recommendations to improve service delivery, address public defender conflicts of interest, ensure competent representation, identify sustainable funding, and increase the number of qualified attorneys available to serve indigent Iowans.
   The required members of the task force are specified in the bill. The bill provides that for the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending November 15, 2030, the task force must convene at least once per year. The bill requires the judicial branch to submit a report to the governor and the general assembly by November 15 each year through 2030.