Bill > HF570

Introduced Session

This bill relates to probation, including discharge credits, educational credits, and workforce credits. Iowa law provides that upon a plea of guilty, a verdict of guilty, or a special verdict upon which a judgment of conviction may be rendered, the trial court may defer judgment and may place the defendant on probation upon conditions as it may require, defer the sentence and assign the defendant to a judicial district department of correctional services, or suspend the sentence and place the defendant on probation upon such terms and conditions as it may require including commitment to an alternate jail facility or a community correctional residential treatment facility to be followed by a period of probation. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn a discharge credit from the defendant’s term of probation for each full calendar month in which the defendant is in compliance with the terms of the defendant’s probation. A defendant shall not earn a discharge credit for a calendar month in which a violation has occurred, the defendant has absconded from probation, or the defendant is incarcerated, except that a defendant shall be retroactively awarded a discharge credit for a calendar month in which a violation allegedly occurred if the violation is not sustained by the court. A defendant shall not earn a discharge credit for a partial calendar month or the last full calendar month of probation. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn an educational credit from the defendant’s term of probation when a defendant earns a high school diploma, high school equivalency certificate, or academic degree or completes a certified vocational, technical, or career education or training program. The bill provides that on or after July 1, 2026, a defendant on probation shall earn a workforce credit from the defendant’s term of probation for each six-month period in which a defendant maintains verifiable employment. The defendant’s probation officer may verify such employment through supporting documentation. The bill provides that beginning July 1, 2026, at least twice per year, the defendant’s probation officer shall provide the defendant with an accounting of the defendant’s discharge, educational, and workforce credits. The department of corrections shall, without leave of court, award any accrued credits toward the completion of the defendant’s probation, except that the maximum reduction of the defendant’s probation term earned through the application of credits shall not exceed 40 percent of the probation period imposed and the defendant shall not be discharged from probation until the probation officer determines that fees and court debt have been paid off or are subject to a payment plan. A defendant may seek administrative review and recalculation of the defendant’s credits. The bill provides that discharge, educational, and workforce credits earned by a defendant on probation shall not apply to proceedings in adult criminal problem-solving courts and special probation programs unless the problem-solving court or special probation program adopts some or all of the credit provisions. Beginning July 1, 2026, the bill requires the department of corrections to report certain information annually in a public report made available no later than December 1 of each year. The bill provides definitions for “adult criminal problem-solving court”, “discharge credit”, “educational credit”, “special probation program”, and “workforce credit”. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Committee Categories

No sponsors listed

Other Sponsors (1)

Subcommittee: Dawson, Blake, and Schultz. S.J. 654. (on 03/26/2025)

Official Document