Iowa would ban events that resolve warrants without immediate arrest

People and organizations would be barred from running, supporting, promoting, or participating in covered events. Covered events would include coordinated efforts intended to let people resolve outstanding arrest warrants without immediate arrest and police booking, or having that practical effect. Regularly scheduled court proceedings inside courthouses or judicial facilities would be excluded. People could resolve warrants only by surrendering to police, attending a court hearing as directed by a judge, or filing a written request in their pending case. The written request would need prosecutor agreement and a court ruling through normal case procedures, outside a prohibited event. Public money and facilities could not host these events. Equivalent programs under other names would also be barred, and conflicting local rules would be overridden. The restrictions would take effect upon enactment.

Public officials and employees who knowingly violate the rules would face criminal penalties, as would private people who knowingly organize, sponsor, host, or fund prohibited events. The offense would be a simple misdemeanor, a crime punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of $105 to $855. Public officials and employees could also be removed from office or employment under the laws governing removal. Covered private people would also face a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, which the attorney general could seek in district court. These penalties would take effect upon enactment.

The attorney general and residents of affected counties could ask district courts to stop prohibited events. Residents could sue when a prohibited clinic or equivalent program is planned or conducted in their county. Anyone could report suspected violations. The attorney general would have to publish a process for receiving and reviewing reports. The attorney general could investigate and sue to stop violations, collect authorized civil penalties, and recover reasonable legal costs. Residents could seek court orders and compensation for actual harm. They could recover reasonable lawyer fees and court costs if they largely win. These enforcement provisions would take effect upon enactment.

Counties involved in covered warrant events would be barred from receiving money originating from court debts. The restriction would cover counties that organize, sponsor, host, fund, promote, or participate in a covered warrant event. The restriction would apply in addition to other penalties. Covered money would include payments connected to collecting overdue court fines and fees. The funding restriction would take effect upon enactment.