SSB 1199 (LSB 2934XC (2) 91)

SENATE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SCHULTZ)

A BILL FOR

An Act creating a study committee on the administration of the court debt system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  JUDICIAL BRANCH —— STUDY COMMITTEE ON COURT DEBT SYSTEM.
   1.  The judicial branch shall convene a study committee to produce a legislative proposal to overhaul the statutory framework for the administration of the court debt system with the goals of simplifying the statutory framework to minimize error, decrease administrative burden, increase efficiencies, and ensure accurate distribution. The purview of the study committee includes but is not limited to reviewing and providing recommendations to improve the administration of the assessment, payment, collection, and distribution of court debt. The purview of the study committee does not include substantively reconsidering the amount of court debt assessed against persons or the amount of moneys distributed to court debt recipients.
   2.  The state court administrator, or the administrator’s designee, shall be the chairperson of the study committee. In addition to the members required under paragraphs “a” and “b”, the state court administrator may also appoint other members with relevant knowledge of the administration of the court debt system.
   a.  The membership of the committee shall consist of the following persons or that person’s designee:
   (1)  The governor.
   (2)  The secretary of state.
   (3)  The treasurer of state.
   (4)  The director of the department of management.
   (5)  The director of the department of transportation.
   (6)  The commissioner of public safety.
   (7)  The director of the department of health and human services.
   (8)  The director of revenue.
   (9)  The director of the department of corrections.
   (10)  The attorney general.
   (11)  The president of the Iowa state sheriffs’ and deputies’ association.
   (12)  The executive director of the Iowa state association of counties.
   (13)  The executive director of the Iowa county attorneys association.
   (14)  The executive director of the Iowa league of cities.
   b.  The membership of the committee shall also consist of the following legislative members:
   (1)  One member of the senate appointed by the majority leader of the senate.
   (2)  One member of the senate appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   (3)  One member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
   (4)  One member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
   3.  The study committee shall submit recommendations for the statutory reform of the administration of the court debt system in the form of a proposed legislative bill to the chairpersons of the senate and house of representatives standing committees on judiciary no later than November 1, 2025.
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 convene a study committee, chaired by the state court administrator or the administrator’s designee, to assess the statutory framework for the administration of the court debt system, not including the amount of court debt assessed against persons or the amount distributed to court debt recipients. The bill sets forth specific membership for the study committee, including four legislative members, and provides for additional membership as determined by the state court administrator. The bill requires the study committee to submit recommendations to the chairpersons of the senate and house of representatives standing committees on judiciary no later than November 1, 2025.