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House File 4 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the assessment of fees when a public
2defender or designee requests copies of certain documents.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 815.16 Fees for requests for copies
2of documents.
31. As used in this section:
4a. “Agency” means the judicial branch, a state department or
5agency, the office of a county attorney, a criminal or juvenile
6justice agency, or a political subdivision of the state.
7b. “Document” includes but is not limited to a copy of the
8following:
9(1) Police reports.
10(2) Photographs.
11(3) Grand jury transcripts.
12(4) Audiotapes.
13(5) Videotapes.
14(6) Transcripts of audiotapes or videotapes.
15(7) Audio or video files on storage systems, including
16but not limited to disk, tape, optical, and other structured
17repositories for storing digital information.
18(8) Transcripts of audio or video files on storage systems.
19(9) Reports prepared by the department of human services.
202. An agency shall furnish copies of any document in the
21possession of the agency, at no cost, upon request of the state
22public defender, a public defender office, or an attorney
23or nonprofit legal organization appointed by the court as a
24designee of the state public defender, if the document is
25relevant to an investigation or legal representation being
26conducted by the state public defender, a public defender
27office, or an attorney or nonprofit legal organization
28appointed by the court as a designee of the state public
29defender. When a document is provided on a storage system, the
30agency shall, upon request, include the software necessary to
31access the storage system.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35This bill relates to the assessment of fees when a public
-1-1defender or designee requests copies of certain documents.
2The bill defines “agency” to mean the judicial branch, a
3state department or agency, the office of a county attorney, a
4criminal or juvenile justice agency, or a political subdivision
5of the state.
6The bill requires that an agency furnish copies of any
7document in the possession of the agency, at no cost, upon
8request of the state public defender, a public defender office,
9or an attorney or nonprofit legal organization appointed by the
10court as a designee of the state public defender.
11The documents to be provided under the bill include but
12are not limited to copies of police reports, photographs,
13grand jury transcripts, audiotapes, videotapes, transcripts
14of audiotapes or videotapes, audio or video files on storage
15systems, transcripts of such audio or video files on storage
16systems, and reports prepared by the department of human
17services.
18The document requested must be relevant to an investigation
19or legal representation being conducted by the public defender
20or designee.
21Under the bill, when a document is provided on a storage
22system, the agency shall, upon request, include the software
23necessary to access the storage system.
-2-as/rh
2defender or designee requests copies of certain documents.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 815.16 Fees for requests for copies
2of documents.
31. As used in this section:
4a. “Agency” means the judicial branch, a state department or
5agency, the office of a county attorney, a criminal or juvenile
6justice agency, or a political subdivision of the state.
7b. “Document” includes but is not limited to a copy of the
8following:
9(1) Police reports.
10(2) Photographs.
11(3) Grand jury transcripts.
12(4) Audiotapes.
13(5) Videotapes.
14(6) Transcripts of audiotapes or videotapes.
15(7) Audio or video files on storage systems, including
16but not limited to disk, tape, optical, and other structured
17repositories for storing digital information.
18(8) Transcripts of audio or video files on storage systems.
19(9) Reports prepared by the department of human services.
202. An agency shall furnish copies of any document in the
21possession of the agency, at no cost, upon request of the state
22public defender, a public defender office, or an attorney
23or nonprofit legal organization appointed by the court as a
24designee of the state public defender, if the document is
25relevant to an investigation or legal representation being
26conducted by the state public defender, a public defender
27office, or an attorney or nonprofit legal organization
28appointed by the court as a designee of the state public
29defender. When a document is provided on a storage system, the
30agency shall, upon request, include the software necessary to
31access the storage system.
32EXPLANATION
33The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
34the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
35This bill relates to the assessment of fees when a public
-1-1defender or designee requests copies of certain documents.
2The bill defines “agency” to mean the judicial branch, a
3state department or agency, the office of a county attorney, a
4criminal or juvenile justice agency, or a political subdivision
5of the state.
6The bill requires that an agency furnish copies of any
7document in the possession of the agency, at no cost, upon
8request of the state public defender, a public defender office,
9or an attorney or nonprofit legal organization appointed by the
10court as a designee of the state public defender.
11The documents to be provided under the bill include but
12are not limited to copies of police reports, photographs,
13grand jury transcripts, audiotapes, videotapes, transcripts
14of audiotapes or videotapes, audio or video files on storage
15systems, transcripts of such audio or video files on storage
16systems, and reports prepared by the department of human
17services.
18The document requested must be relevant to an investigation
19or legal representation being conducted by the public defender
20or designee.
21Under the bill, when a document is provided on a storage
22system, the agency shall, upon request, include the software
23necessary to access the storage system.
-2-as/rh