(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has signed three crime-related bills, including a “three strikes” policy that requires mandatory seven-year-long prison sentences for anyone convicted of a third felony. “Career criminals have too often cycled through the justice system with little accountability,” Reynolds said. “In fact, these repeat offenders are responsible for a third of the crime in our state and three-fourths of violent crime.”
The policy replaces current law which calls for three-year prison sentences for habitual offenders, but judges have the discretion to adjust or eliminate that prison time. Reynolds signed two other bills today (Tuesday) in a ceremony in her Capitol office. One new law will not allow people charged with drug or violent crimes to be released without posting bail. The other ends warrant resolution clinics that let people with an arrest warrant sign a document, agreeing to appear in court.
A woman who went to a clinic in Polk County in April is accused of murdering someone a few days later. Her mother attended, but did not speak at today’s (Tuesday’s) event. “Tanya I want to offer our heartfelt condolences and commend you for being such a strong voice for your daughter during this really difficult time,” Reynolds said. “No law can make up for this unimaginable and preventable loss, but it serves as a powerful reminder that decisions made within our justice system have real consequences for real people.”
House Speaker Pat Grassley says violent offenders consume the resources of police and sheriffs departments that have to deal with the same people over and over. “Iowa is not going to be a place where career criminals are welcome and hopefully today that message is being sent loud and clear,” Grassley said, “that we are going to enforce our laws, protect victims and I think today is a great step toward doing that.”
Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, says the three bills Reynolds signed today (Tuesday) after about accountability. “They are about protecting future victims,” Holt said. Representative Mike Vondran, a Republican from Davenport, says it took three years of work to come up with the bail and bond reform measure that’s now law. “Violent charged offenders will no longer be allowed to walk the streets hours after the alleged incident,” Vondran said.
People charged with misdemeanors or non-violent offenses may still be released if they agree to appear in court later, but those charged with a violent crime or a drug offense must post bail before they are released — and a judge cannot lower the required bond amount listed in state law.
