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HF647 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. (Formerly HSB 49 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. (Formerly HSB 49 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
Last action
2025-04-18
Official status
Signed by Governor . H.J. 1011 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. (Formerly HSB 49 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses.

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses.
  • (Formerly HSB 49 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-18 Iowa Legislature

    Signed by Governor . H.J. 1011 .

  2. 2025-04-17 Iowa Legislature

    Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor. H.J. 989 .

  3. 2025-04-09 Iowa Legislature

    Message from Senate. H.J. 920 .

  4. 2025-04-08 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. S.J. 727 .

  5. 2025-04-08 Iowa Legislature

    Passed Senate , yeas 48, nays 0. S.J. 721 .

  6. 2025-04-08 Iowa Legislature

    Substituted for SF 149 . S.J. 721 .

  7. 2025-04-03 Iowa Legislature

    Placed on calendar under unfinished business. S.J. 688 .

  8. 2025-03-17 Iowa Legislature

    Read first time, attached to SF 149 . S.J. 540 .

  9. 2025-03-17 Iowa Legislature

    Message from House. S.J. 540 .

  10. 2025-03-17 Iowa Legislature

    Explanations of votes. H.J. 676 .

  11. 2025-03-13 Iowa Legislature

    Immediate message. H.J. 656 .

  12. 2025-03-13 Iowa Legislature

    Passed House , yeas 95, nays 0. H.J. 646 .

  13. 2025-02-28 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 473 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses. (Formerly HSB 49 .) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
April 18, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 647, an Act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal offenses.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sinceitly,
am jsevmolds
Governor of Iowa"
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
RIGHT
GKNERAI. ASSEMBEYl!i!!!iEi]iEiiitiiiitiiiiiii!r;iii]ifnimiiitiiiiiii!i!iimuimi»iimuiim!!!!iiii9mimimiiiHiinimHHKsn!mDitmnimiinn9nmiuinmiiiiHimiininiRiiniii]]miiinBm
House File 647
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE PLACE OF TRIAL FOR CERTAIN CRIMINAL OFFENSES,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 803.3, Code 2025, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 8. a. Except as otherwise provided in this
section, if the county in which an offense was committed cannot
be readily determined, trial of the offense shall be held in
the county of residence of the victim.
b. If there is no victim, the victim is not a resident
of this state, or the residence of the victim cannot be
established, trial of the offense shall be held in the county
of residence of the person charged with the offense.
c» If the victim is not a natural person, venue for trial
of the offense is proper in any county where the victim has a
physical presence.
d. If there is more than one victim, trial of the offenses
may be held in any county in which a victim resides with the
House File 647, p. 2
county of residence of a natural person taking priority over
the county of resi^nce of other victims
PAT GRASSLEY>
Speaker of the House
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 647, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved , 2025
MEG^N NELSON
Chief IlerkiOT^the House
KIM
Governor