Bill > SF448

This bill modifies sentencing for individuals under eighteen years old who commit a class "A" felony, which is the most serious category of felony in Iowa. Specifically, for those convicted of first-degree murder and under eighteen at the time of the offense, the bill outlines three sentencing options: life imprisonment with no parole unless commuted by the governor, life imprisonment with a court-determined minimum parole term, or life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. For other class "A" felonies committed by individuals under eighteen, the bill provides two sentencing options: life imprisonment with a court-determined minimum parole term, or life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. In both scenarios, courts are required to consider a comprehensive list of factors when determining the sentence, including the victim's impact, community impact, the defendant's threat to public safety, their degree of participation, remorse, acceptance of responsibility, the severity and nature of the offense, their maturity, mental capacity, prior history, and the possibility of rehabilitation, among other considerations. The bill also clarifies that earned time credits for inmates serving life sentences will not reduce the sentence itself unless the life sentence is commuted to a term of years, and it specifies that these new sentencing provisions apply to convictions that occurred before, on, or after the bill's effective date of April 24, 2015.