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House File 2572 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1providing for a task force to address legal services for
2indigent parties.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 602.1615 Legal services for
2indigent parties task force.
31. The judicial branch shall establish a task force that
4shall do all of the following:
5a. Identify how legal services are delivered in this state
6to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse and
7neglect proceedings statewide.
8b. Recommend improvements to the delivery of legal services
9to indigent parties.
10c. Recommend methods for providing legal services in cases
11involving conflicts of interest where local public defenders
12may be unable to accept representation.
13d. Evaluate and recommend ways to ensure indigent parties
14receive competent representation.
15e. Identify potential funding options to support the
16delivery of legal services for indigent parties.
17f. Identify strategies to increase the number of qualified
18attorneys needed to provide legal representation to all
19residents of this state.
202. The task force shall consist of the following members:
21a. A member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme
22court.
23b. A member appointed by the governor.
24c. A member appointed by the attorney general.
25d. A member appointed by the state public defender.
26e. A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar
27association appointed by the association.
28f. A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar
29association who has been licensed to practice for five years or
30less appointed by the association.
31g. A member in good standing with the Iowa association for
32justice appointed by the association.
33h. A county attorney appointed by the Iowa county attorneys
34association.
35i. A member appointed by the dean of the Drake university
-1-1law school.
2j. A member appointed by the dean of the university of Iowa
3college of law.
4k. A member of the house of representatives appointed by the
5speaker of the house.
6l. A member of the senate appointed by the majority leader
7of the senate.
83. For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending
9November 15, 2030, the task force shall convene at least once
10each calendar year, and may convene more frequently as deemed
11necessary by a majority vote of the task force.
124. For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending
13November 15, 2030, the judicial branch shall submit a report
14to the governor and the general assembly containing the task
15force’s findings and recommendations on or before November 15
16annually.
175. Members of the task force shall serve without
18compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses in
19the performance of their duties. Task force members who are
20members of the general assembly shall be paid in accordance
21with section 2.32A. The remaining task force members shall be
22reimbursed from moneys appropriated for the purpose of this
23section or otherwise appropriated to the judicial branch.
246. This section is repealed November 15, 2030, and the task
25force shall dissolve on that date.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This bill directs the judicial branch to establish a task
30force to investigate the statewide delivery of legal services
31to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse
32and neglect proceedings and to develop recommendations to
33improve service delivery, address public defender conflicts of
34interest, ensure competent representation, identify sustainable
35funding, and increase the number of qualified attorneys
-2-1available to serve indigent Iowans.
2The required members of the task force are specified in the
3bill. The bill provides that for the period beginning July 1,
42026, and ending November 15, 2030, the task force must convene
5at least once per year. The bill requires the judicial branch
6to submit a report to the governor and the general assembly by
7November 15 each year through 2030.
-3-lh/ns
2indigent parties.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 602.1615 Legal services for
2indigent parties task force.
31. The judicial branch shall establish a task force that
4shall do all of the following:
5a. Identify how legal services are delivered in this state
6to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse and
7neglect proceedings statewide.
8b. Recommend improvements to the delivery of legal services
9to indigent parties.
10c. Recommend methods for providing legal services in cases
11involving conflicts of interest where local public defenders
12may be unable to accept representation.
13d. Evaluate and recommend ways to ensure indigent parties
14receive competent representation.
15e. Identify potential funding options to support the
16delivery of legal services for indigent parties.
17f. Identify strategies to increase the number of qualified
18attorneys needed to provide legal representation to all
19residents of this state.
202. The task force shall consist of the following members:
21a. A member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme
22court.
23b. A member appointed by the governor.
24c. A member appointed by the attorney general.
25d. A member appointed by the state public defender.
26e. A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar
27association appointed by the association.
28f. A member in good standing with the Iowa state bar
29association who has been licensed to practice for five years or
30less appointed by the association.
31g. A member in good standing with the Iowa association for
32justice appointed by the association.
33h. A county attorney appointed by the Iowa county attorneys
34association.
35i. A member appointed by the dean of the Drake university
-1-1law school.
2j. A member appointed by the dean of the university of Iowa
3college of law.
4k. A member of the house of representatives appointed by the
5speaker of the house.
6l. A member of the senate appointed by the majority leader
7of the senate.
83. For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending
9November 15, 2030, the task force shall convene at least once
10each calendar year, and may convene more frequently as deemed
11necessary by a majority vote of the task force.
124. For the period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending
13November 15, 2030, the judicial branch shall submit a report
14to the governor and the general assembly containing the task
15force’s findings and recommendations on or before November 15
16annually.
175. Members of the task force shall serve without
18compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses in
19the performance of their duties. Task force members who are
20members of the general assembly shall be paid in accordance
21with section 2.32A. The remaining task force members shall be
22reimbursed from moneys appropriated for the purpose of this
23section or otherwise appropriated to the judicial branch.
246. This section is repealed November 15, 2030, and the task
25force shall dissolve on that date.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This bill directs the judicial branch to establish a task
30force to investigate the statewide delivery of legal services
31to indigent parties in criminal, juvenile, and child abuse
32and neglect proceedings and to develop recommendations to
33improve service delivery, address public defender conflicts of
34interest, ensure competent representation, identify sustainable
35funding, and increase the number of qualified attorneys
-2-1available to serve indigent Iowans.
2The required members of the task force are specified in the
3bill. The bill provides that for the period beginning July 1,
42026, and ending November 15, 2030, the task force must convene
5at least once per year. The bill requires the judicial branch
6to submit a report to the governor and the general assembly by
7November 15 each year through 2030.
-3-lh/ns