Senate File 126 - Introduced SENATE FILE 126 BY GUTH , CAMPBELL , and EVANS A BILL FOR An Act relating to parole eligibility for a person under the 1 age of twenty convicted of a class “A” felony and making 2 penalties applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1073XS (3) 91 as/js
S.F. 126 Section 1. Section 902.1, subsection 2, paragraph a, 1 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as 2 follows: 3 Notwithstanding subsection 1 , a defendant convicted of 4 murder in the first degree in violation of section 707.2 , 5 and who was under the age of eighteen twenty at the time 6 the offense was committed shall receive one of the following 7 sentences: 8 Sec. 2. Section 902.1, subsection 3, paragraph a, 9 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as 10 follows: 11 Notwithstanding subsections 1 and 2 , a defendant convicted 12 of a class “A” felony, other than murder in the first degree 13 in violation of section 707.2 , and who was under the age of 14 eighteen twenty at the time the offense was committed shall 15 receive one of the following sentences: 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 This bill relates to parole eligibility for a person under 20 the age of 20 convicted of a class “A” felony. 21 Current law provides that a person under the age of 18 22 convicted of first degree murder, a class “A” felony, shall 23 receive one of the following sentences: commitment to the 24 department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life 25 with no possibility of parole unless the governor commutes 26 the sentence to a term of years; commitment to the department 27 of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life with 28 the possibility of parole after serving a minimum term of 29 confinement as determined by the court; or commitment to the 30 department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life 31 with the possibility of parole. 32 The bill increases the age limit from 18 years to 20 years. 33 Current law provides that a defendant convicted of a class 34 “A” felony, other than murder in the first degree, and who was 35 -1- LSB 1073XS (3) 91 as/js 1/ 2
S.F. 126 under the age of 18 at the time the offense was committed shall 1 receive one of the following sentences: commitment to the 2 department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life 3 with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum term of 4 confinement as determined by the court; or commitment to the 5 department of corrections for the rest of the defendant’s life 6 with the possibility of parole. 7 The bill increases the age limit from 18 years to 20 years. 8 -2- LSB 1073XS (3) 91 as/js 2/ 2