Bill
Bill > HF365
IA HF365
A bill for an act establishing a cause of action for murder in the first degree by causing the death of another by delivering, dispensing, or providing fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance, and making penalties applicable.(See HF 792.)
summary
Introduced
02/12/2025
02/12/2025
In Committee
02/12/2025
02/12/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill establishes a cause of action for murder in the first degree by causing the death of another by delivering, dispensing, or providing fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance. The bill provides that a person who unlawfully delivers, dispenses, or otherwise provides fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance to another person that results in the death of the other person, and the proximate cause of the death of the other person is the injection, inhalation, absorption, or ingestion of any amount of the fentanyl or fentanyl-related substance, commits murder in the first degree. Murder in the first degree is a class “A” felony. A class “A” felony is punishable by confinement for life without possibility of parole. The bill provides that it is not a defense that the other person contributed to the person’s own death by the purposeful, knowing, reckless, or negligent injection, inhalation, absorption, or ingestion of the controlled substance or by consenting to the administration of the controlled substance by another person.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a new legal provision that allows prosecutors to charge individuals with first-degree murder if they unlawfully deliver, dispense, or provide fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance that results in another person's death. Specifically, the bill expands the definition of first-degree murder to include cases where the death is caused by the injection, inhalation, absorption, or ingestion of any amount of fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that it is not a legal defense if the victim contributed to their own death by purposefully, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently taking the substance or consenting to its administration. If convicted, the perpetrator would face a class "A" felony, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This legislation appears to be a response to the ongoing opioid crisis, specifically targeting individuals who distribute potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that has been responsible for numerous overdose deaths in recent years.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Withdrawn. H.J. 871. (on 03/31/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF365 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/HF365.html |
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