Iowa Senate File 401 restricts legal defenses of justification and diminished capacity in certain violent crimes and assaults

Original title: A bill for an act relating to the defenses of justification and diminished capacity for certain violent crimes.

Last action · February 25, 2025: Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 356 .Sponsors: Liz Bennett and 8 others

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Floor Vote

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What This Bill Would Do

Senate File 401 bars the legal defenses of and for individuals who commit violent crimes or assaults resulting from a nonviolent sexual advance or from discovering, knowing about, or disclosing a victim's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Why it matters

Changes criminal court procedures by eliminating specific legal defenses for defendants who commit violent acts following the discovery of a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity, affecting how criminal cases and defenses are litigated in court.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Defendants in criminal trials

Defendants are barred from raising justification or diminished capacity defenses under specific circumstances related to a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity.

Key Facts

The bill amends Iowa Code section 704.6 to restrict the availability of legal defense options.
The defenses of justification and diminished capacity are prohibited for anyone committing a violent crime or assault following a nonviolent sexual advance.
The defenses are also prohibited when a crime or assault occurs as a result of discovering, knowing about, or potentially disclosing a victim's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The legislation references Code section 915.10 for the definition of a violent crime.

Show all 5 facts

The legislation references Code section 708.1 for the definition of an assault.

Frequently Asked Questions

What legal defenses does Senate File 401 restrict?

The bill restricts the defenses of and .

Under what circumstances are these defenses unavailable?

The defenses are unavailable when a person commits a violent crime or assault as a result of a nonviolent sexual advance, or due to the discovery of, knowledge about, or potential disclosure of a victim's sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

2 actions

Feb 25, 2025Senate
Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot. S.J. 356 .
Feb 20, 2025SenateIntroduced
Introduced, referred to Judiciary. S.J. 323 .

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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