HSB 775 (LSB 5005YC (9) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MOHR)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to and making appropriations to the justice system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

DIVISION I
FY 2026-2027 APPROPRIATIONS

    Section 1.  DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of justice for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   a.  For the general office of attorney general for salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, including the prosecuting attorneys training program, matching funds for federal violence against women grant programs, victim assistance grants, the office of drug control policy prosecuting attorney program, and odometer fraud enforcement, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 10,919,246

   ............................................................... FTEs        234.00

   As a condition of receiving the appropriation provided in this lettered paragraph, the department of justice shall maintain a record of the estimated time incurred representing each agency or department.
   The general office of attorney general may temporarily exceed and draw more than the amount appropriated in this lettered paragraph and incur a negative cash balance as long as there are receivables equal to or greater than the negative balances and the amount appropriated in this lettered paragraph is not exceeded at the close of the fiscal year.
   b.  For victim assistance grants:
   ...................................................................... $  5,176,593

   Of the moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph, $150,000 is allocated to provide grants to care providers providing services to victims of human trafficking. The remaining moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph are allocated to provide grants to care providers providing services to all other victims of violent crime.
   The balance of the victim compensation fund established in section 915.94 may be used to provide salary and support of not more than 24.00 full-time equivalent positions and to provide maintenance for the victim compensation functions of the department of justice. In addition to the full-time equivalent positions authorized pursuant to this unnumbered paragraph, 7.00 full-time equivalent positions are authorized and shall be used by the department of justice to employ one accountant and four program planners. The department of justice may employ the additional 7.00 full-time equivalent positions authorized pursuant to this unnumbered paragraph that are in excess of the number of full-time equivalent positions authorized only if the department of justice receives sufficient federal moneys to maintain employment for the additional full-time equivalent positions during the current fiscal year. The department of justice shall only employ the additional 7.00 full-time equivalent positions in succeeding fiscal years if sufficient federal moneys are received during each of those succeeding fiscal years.
   The department of justice shall transfer at least $150,000 from the victim compensation fund established in section 915.94 to the victim assistance grant program established in section 13.31.
   Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this lettered paragraph that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
   c.  For legal services for persons in poverty grants as provided in section 13.34:
   ...................................................................... $  2,634,601

   d.  To improve the department of justice’s cybersecurity and technology infrastructure:
   ...................................................................... $    202,060

   2.  a.  The department of justice, in submitting budget estimates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2027, pursuant to section 8.23, shall include a report of funding from sources other than amounts appropriated directly from the general fund of the state to the department of justice or to the office of consumer advocate. These funding sources must include but are not limited to reimbursements from other state agencies, commissions, boards, or similar entities, and reimbursements from special funds or internal accounts within the department of justice. The department of justice shall also report actual reimbursements for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and actual and expected reimbursements for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.
   b.  The department of justice shall include the report required under paragraph “a”, as well as information regarding any revisions occurring as a result of reimbursements actually received or expected at a later date, in a report to the general assembly. The department of justice shall submit the report on or before January 15, 2027.
   3.  a.  The department of justice shall fully reimburse the costs and necessary related expenses incurred by the Iowa law enforcement academy to continue to employ one additional instructor position who shall provide training for human trafficking-related issues throughout the state.
   b.  The department of justice shall obtain the moneys necessary to reimburse the Iowa law enforcement academy to employ such an instructor from unrestricted moneys from either the victim compensation fund established in section 915.94 or the human trafficking victim fund established in section 915.95 or the human trafficking enforcement fund established in 2015 Iowa Acts, chapter 138, section 141.
   4.  Notwithstanding sections 553.19 and 714.16C, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, any moneys not otherwise appropriated from the antitrust fund created in section 553.19 and the consumer education and litigation fund created in section 714.16C are appropriated to the department of justice for salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes necessary to perform the duties described in section 13.2.
    Sec. 2.  OFFICE OF CONSUMER ADVOCATE.  There is appropriated from the commerce revolving fund created in section 546.12 to the office of consumer advocate of the department of justice for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  3,784,047

   ............................................................... FTEs         18.00

   The office of consumer advocate shall include in its charges assessed or revenues generated an amount sufficient to cover the amount stated in its appropriation and any state-assessed indirect costs determined by the department of administrative services.
    Sec. 3.  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— FACILITIES.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of corrections for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   a.  For the operation of the Fort Madison correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 46,724,722

   b.  For the operation of the Anamosa correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 40,255,974

   c.  For the operation of the Oakdale correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 59,344,020

   d.  For the Oakdale correctional facility for department-wide institutional pharmaceuticals and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 10,175,417

   e.  For the operation of the Newton correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 32,509,092

   f.  For the operation of the Mount Pleasant correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 30,619,297

   g.  For the operation of the Rockwell City correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 11,916,579

   h.  For the operation of the Clarinda correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 29,678,380

   Moneys received by the department of corrections as reimbursement for services provided to the Clarinda youth corporation are appropriated to the department and shall be used for the purpose of operating the Clarinda correctional facility.
   i.  For the operation of the Mitchellville correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 26,350,539

   j.  For the operation of the Fort Dodge correctional facility, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $ 34,467,251

   k.  For reimbursement of counties for temporary confinement of prisoners, as provided in sections 901.7, 904.908, and 906.17, and for offenders confined pursuant to section 904.513:
   ...................................................................... $  1,345,319

   l.  For federal prison reimbursement, reimbursements for out-of-state placements, and miscellaneous contracts:
   ...................................................................... $    234,411

   2.  The department of corrections shall use moneys appropriated in subsection 1 to continue to contract for the services of a Muslim imam and a Native American spiritual leader.
    Sec. 4.  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— ADMINISTRATION.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of corrections for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   1.  For general administration, including salaries and the adjustment of salaries throughout the department, support, maintenance, employment of an education director to administer a centralized education program for the correctional system, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $  9,650,695

   a.  It is the intent of the general assembly that each lease negotiated by the department of corrections with a private corporation for the purpose of providing private industry employment of inmates in a correctional institution shall prohibit the private corporation from utilizing inmate labor for partisan political purposes for any person seeking election to public office in this state and that a violation of this requirement shall result in a termination of the lease agreement.
   b.  It is the intent of the general assembly that as a condition of receiving the appropriation provided in this subsection the department of corrections shall not enter into a lease or contractual agreement pursuant to section 904.809 with a private corporation for the use of building space for the purpose of providing inmate employment without providing that the terms of the lease or contract establish safeguards to restrict, to the greatest extent feasible, access by inmates working for the private corporation to personal identifying information of citizens.
   2.  For educational programs for inmates at state penal institutions:
   ...................................................................... $  3,108,109

   a.  To maximize the funding for educational programs, the department shall establish guidelines and procedures to prioritize the availability of educational and vocational training for inmates based upon the goal of facilitating an inmate’s successful release from the correctional institution.
   b.  The director of the department of corrections may transfer moneys from Iowa prison industries and the canteen operating funds established pursuant to section 904.310, for use in educational programs for inmates.
   c.  Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated in this subsection until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
   3.  For the development and operation of the Iowa corrections offender network (ICON) data system:
   ...................................................................... $  2,000,000

   4.  For offender mental health and substance abuse treatment:
   ...................................................................... $     28,065

   5.  For department-wide duties, including operations, costs, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $  5,500,000
    Sec. 5.  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— JUDICIAL DISTRICT DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of corrections for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   a.  For the first judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $ 17,395,981

   It is the intent of the general assembly that the first judicial district department of correctional services maintains the drug courts operated by the district department.
   b.  For the second judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $ 14,105,725

   It is the intent of the general assembly that the second judicial district department of correctional services maintains two drug courts to be operated by the district department.
   c.  For the third judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $  8,915,376

   d.  For the fourth judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $  6,563,898

   e.  For the fifth judicial district department of correctional services, including funding for electronic monitoring devices for use on a statewide basis:
   ...................................................................... $ 25,194,813

   It is the intent of the general assembly that the fifth judicial district department of correctional services maintains the drug court operated by the district department.
   f.  For the sixth judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $ 17,554,811

   It is the intent of the general assembly that the sixth judicial district department of correctional services maintains the drug court operated by the district department.
   g.  For the seventh judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $ 11,003,457

   It is the intent of the general assembly that the seventh judicial district department of correctional services maintains the drug court operated by the district department.
   h.  For the eighth judicial district department of correctional services:
   ...................................................................... $ 10,259,926

   2.  Each judicial district department of correctional services, within the moneys available, shall continue programs and plans established within that district to provide for intensive supervision, sex offender treatment, diversion of low-risk offenders to the least restrictive sanction available, job development, and expanded use of intermediate criminal sanctions.
   3.  Each judicial district department of correctional services shall provide alternatives to prison consistent with chapter 901B. The alternatives to prison must ensure public safety while providing maximum rehabilitation to the offender. A judicial district department of correctional services may also establish a day program.
   4.  The office of drug control policy of the department of public safety shall consider federal grants made to the department of corrections for the benefit of each of the eight judicial district departments of correctional services as local government grants, as defined pursuant to federal regulations.
   5.  The department of corrections shall continue to contract with a judicial district department of correctional services to provide for the rental of electronic monitoring equipment available statewide.
   6.  The public safety assessment shall not be utilized in pretrial hearings when determining whether to detain or release a defendant before trial until such time the use of the public safety assessment has been specifically authorized by the general assembly.
    Sec. 6.  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— REALLOCATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.  Notwithstanding section 8.39, within the moneys appropriated in this division of this Act to the department of corrections, the department may reallocate the moneys appropriated and allocated as necessary to best fulfill the needs of the correctional institutions, administration of the department, and the judicial district departments of correctional services. However, in addition to complying with the requirements of section 904.116 and providing notice to the legislative services agency, the department of corrections shall also provide notice to the department of management, prior to the effective date of the revision or reallocation of an appropriation made pursuant to this section. The department of corrections shall not reallocate an appropriation or allocation for the purpose of eliminating any program.
    Sec. 7.  DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS —— INTENT.  The department of corrections, in cooperation with townships, the Iowa cemetery associations, and other nonprofit or governmental entities, may use inmate labor during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, to restore or preserve rural cemeteries and historical landmarks. The department, in cooperation with the counties, may also use inmate labor to clean up roads, major water sources, and other water sources around the state.
    Sec. 8.  STATE AGENCY PURCHASES FROM PRISON INDUSTRIES.
   1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “state agency” means the government of the state of Iowa, including but not limited to all executive branch departments, agencies, boards, bureaus, and commissions, the judicial branch, the general assembly and all legislative agencies, institutions within the purview of the state board of regents, and any corporation whose primary function is to act as an instrumentality of the state.
   2.  State agencies are encouraged to purchase products from Iowa state industries, as defined in section 904.802, when purchases are required and the products are available from Iowa state industries. State agencies shall obtain bids from Iowa state industries for purchases of office furniture during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, exceeding $5,000 or in accordance with applicable administrative rules related to purchases for the agency.
    Sec. 9.  IOWA LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the Iowa law enforcement academy for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   a.  For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, including jailer training and technical assistance, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  2,919,407

   ............................................................... FTEs         31.00

   b.  The Iowa law enforcement academy may temporarily exceed and draw more than the amount appropriated in this subsection and incur a negative cash balance as long as there are receivables equal to or greater than the negative balance and the amount appropriated in this subsection is not exceeded at the close of the fiscal year.
   2.  The Iowa law enforcement academy may select at least five automobiles of the department of public safety, division of state patrol, prior to turning over the automobiles to the department of administrative services to be disposed of by public auction, and the Iowa law enforcement academy may exchange any automobile owned by the academy for each automobile selected if the selected automobile is used in training law enforcement officers at the academy. However, any automobile exchanged by the academy must be substituted for the selected vehicle of the department of public safety and sold by public auction with the receipts being deposited in the depreciation fund maintained pursuant to section 8A.365 to the credit of the department of public safety, division of state patrol.
   3.  The Iowa law enforcement academy shall provide training for domestic abuse and human trafficking-related issues throughout the state. The academy shall offer the training at no cost to the attendees and the training shall not replace any existing domestic abuse or human trafficking training offered by the academy.
    Sec. 10.  STATE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the office of the state public defender of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   a.  For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 38,627,894

   ............................................................... FTEs        276.00

   b.  For payments on behalf of eligible adults and juveniles from the indigent defense fund, in accordance with section 815.11:
   ...................................................................... $ 42,351,374

   2.  Moneys received by the office of the state public defender pursuant to Tit. IV-E of the federal Social Security Act remaining unencumbered and unobligated at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall be transferred to the Tit. IV-E juvenile justice improvement fund created in 2022 Iowa Acts, chapter 1146, section 11, subsection 3, to remain available for expenditure by the office of the state public defender in succeeding fiscal years for the purposes allowed by Tit. IV-E of the federal Social Security Act.
    Sec. 11.  BOARD OF PAROLE.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the board of parole for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  1,545,114

   ............................................................... FTEs         10.60
    Sec. 12.  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC DEFENSE.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of public defense, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  7,646,037

   ............................................................... FTEs        242.00

   2.  The department of public defense may temporarily exceed and draw more than the amount appropriated in this section and incur a negative cash balance as long as there are receivables of federal funds equal to or greater than the negative balance and the amount appropriated in this section is not exceeded at the close of the fiscal year.
    Sec. 13.  DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
   1.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of homeland security and emergency management for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  2,396,138

   ............................................................... FTEs         25.44

   2.  The department of homeland security and emergency management may temporarily exceed and draw more than the amount appropriated in this section and incur a negative cash balance as long as there are receivables of federal funds equal to or greater than the negative balance and the amount appropriated in this section is not exceeded at the close of the fiscal year.
    Sec. 14.  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of public safety for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   1.  For administrative functions, including salaries and the adjustment of salaries throughout the department, the criminal justice information system, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  7,095,906

   ............................................................... FTEs         33.00

   2.  For the division of criminal investigation, including the state’s contribution to the peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system provided in chapter 97A in the amount of the state’s normal contribution rate, as defined in section 97A.8, multiplied by the salaries for which the moneys are appropriated, to meet federal fund matching requirements, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 23,282,804

   ............................................................... FTEs        184.00

   3.  For the criminalistics laboratory fund created in section 691.9:
   ...................................................................... $    650,000

   Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
   4.  a.  For the division of narcotics enforcement, including the state’s contribution to the peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system provided in chapter 97A in the amount of the state’s normal contribution rate, as defined in section 97A.8, multiplied by the salaries for which the moneys are appropriated, to meet federal fund matching requirements, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 10,496,573

   ............................................................... FTEs         71.00

   The division of narcotics enforcement is authorized an additional 1.00 full-time equivalent position pursuant to this lettered paragraph that is in excess of the number of full-time equivalent positions authorized for the previous fiscal year only if the division of narcotics enforcement receives sufficient federal moneys to maintain employment for the additional full-time equivalent position during the current fiscal year. The division of narcotics enforcement shall only employ the additional full-time equivalent position in succeeding fiscal years if sufficient federal moneys are received during each of those succeeding fiscal years.
   b.  For the division of narcotics enforcement for undercover purchases:
   ...................................................................... $    209,042

   5.  For the division of state fire marshal, for fire protection services as provided through the state fire service and emergency response council as created in the department, and for the state’s contribution to the peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system provided in chapter 97A in the amount of the state’s normal contribution rate, as defined in section 97A.8, multiplied by the salaries for which the moneys are appropriated, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $  3,635,378

   ............................................................... FTEs         21.00

   6.  For the division of state patrol, for salaries, support, maintenance, workers’ compensation costs, and miscellaneous purposes, including the state’s contribution to the peace officers’ retirement, accident, and disability system provided in chapter 97A in the amount of the state’s normal contribution rate, as defined in section 97A.8, multiplied by the salaries for which the moneys are appropriated, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 94,251,941

   ............................................................... FTEs        613.00

   It is the intent of the general assembly that members of the state patrol be assigned to patrol the highways and roads in lieu of assignments for inspecting school buses for the school districts.
   7.  For deposit in the sick leave benefits fund established in section 80.42 for all departmental employees eligible to receive benefits for accrued sick leave under the collective bargaining agreement:
   ...................................................................... $    279,517

   8.  For costs associated with the training and equipment needs of volunteer fire fighters:
   ...................................................................... $  1,075,520

   Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this subsection that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated in this subsection until the close of the succeeding fiscal year.
   9.  For the public safety interoperable and broadband communications fund established in section 80.44:
   ...................................................................... $    115,661

   10.  For the office to combat human trafficking established in section 80.45, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $    200,742

   11.  For department-wide duties, including operations, costs, and miscellaneous purposes:
   ...................................................................... $  3,430,000

   12.  For the office of drug control policy, for salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, including statewide coordination of the drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) programs or other similar programs, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $    249,219

   ............................................................... FTEs            4.00

   Notwithstanding section 8.39, the department of public safety may reallocate moneys appropriated in this section as necessary to best fulfill the needs provided for in the appropriation. However, the department shall not reallocate moneys appropriated to the department in this section unless notice of the reallocation is given to the legislative services agency and the department of management prior to the effective date of the reallocation. The notice must include information regarding the rationale for reallocating the moneys. The department shall not reallocate moneys appropriated in this section for the purpose of eliminating any program.
    Sec. 15.  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY —— GAMING ENFORCEMENT.
   1.  There is appropriated from the gaming enforcement revolving fund created in section 80.43 to the department of public safety for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For any direct support costs for agents and officers of the division of criminal investigation’s excursion gambling boat, gambling structure, and racetrack enclosure enforcement activities, including salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the following full-time equivalent positions:
   ...................................................................... $ 13,084,081

   ............................................................... FTEs         68.00

   2.  For each additional license to conduct gambling games on an excursion gambling boat, gambling structure, or racetrack enclosure issued during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, there is appropriated from the gaming enforcement revolving fund to the department of public safety for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, an additional amount of not more than $300,000 to be used for full-time equivalent positions.
   3.  The department of public safety, with the approval of the department of management, may employ no more than three special agents for each additional riverboat or gambling structure regulated after July 1, 2026, and three special agents for each racing facility which becomes operational during the fiscal year which begins July 1, 2026. Positions authorized in this subsection are in addition to the full-time equivalent positions otherwise authorized in this section.
    Sec. 16.  DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.  There is appropriated from the 911 emergency communications fund created in section 34A.7A to the department of homeland security and emergency management for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For implementation, support, and maintenance of the functions of the administrator and program manager under chapter 34A and to employ the auditor of the state to perform an annual audit of the 911 emergency communications fund:
   ...................................................................... $    300,000
    Sec. 17.  DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE —— CONSUMER EDUCATION AND LITIGATION —— FARM MEDIATION AND PROSECUTIONS, APPEALS, AND CLAIMS.  Notwithstanding section 714.16C, there is appropriated from the consumer education and litigation fund to the department of justice for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027, the following amounts, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   1.  For farm mediation services as specified in section 13.13, subsection 2:
   ...................................................................... $    300,000

   2.  For salaries, support, maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes for criminal prosecutions, criminal appeals, and performing duties pursuant to chapter 669:
   ...................................................................... $  2,000,000
DIVISION II
INDIGENT DEFENSE AND REPRESENTATION

    Sec. 18.  Section 815.7, subsection 10, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   10.  For appointments made on or after July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the reasonable compensation shall be calculated on the basis of eighty-eight dollars per hour for class “A” felonies, eighty-three dollars per hour for class “B” felonies, and seventy-eight dollars per hour for all other cases.
    Sec. 19.  Section 815.7, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  10A.  For appointments made on or after July 1, 2026, the reasonable compensation shall be calculated on the basis of ninety-three dollars per hour for class “A” felonies, eighty-eight dollars per hour for class “B” felonies, and eighty-three dollars per hour for all other cases.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the justice system.
   FY 2026-2027 APPROPRIATIONS. The bill makes appropriations for FY 2026-2027 from the general fund of the state to the departments of justice, corrections, public defense, public safety, and homeland security and emergency management, and the Iowa law enforcement academy, office of the state public defender, and board of parole.
   The bill also appropriates moneys for FY 2026-2027 from the commerce revolving fund to the office of consumer advocate of the department of justice; from the gaming enforcement revolving fund to the department of public safety; from the 911 emergency communications fund to the department of homeland security and emergency management; and from the consumer education and litigation fund to the department of justice for farm mediation services and for criminal prosecutions, criminal appeals, and performing certain duties.
   INDIGENT DEFENSE AND REPRESENTATION. The bill increases the hourly rate for court-appointed counsel by $5 per hour and provides that for appointments made on or after July 1, 2026, compensation is calculated on the basis of $93 per hour for class “A” felonies, $88 per hour for class “B” felonies, and $83 per hour for all other cases.