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HF 2770

A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the justice system, providing fees, and including applicability provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HF 2770 provides targeted general-fund funding to Iowa’s justice system for 2026-27, expanding victim services, boosting indigent defense pay, and modernizing corrections operation

Signed by Governor.
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Bill Summary · HF 2770

Summary of HF 2770 (2025-2026) – Iowa

Purpose: HF 2770 is a comprehensive appropriations bill directing funding to the state's justice system and related agencies for fiscal year 2026-2027, along with specified procedural provisions. It covers operations across the Department of Justice, corrections, public defense, public safety, homeland security, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, Office of the State Public Defender, Board of Parole, and related funds.

1) Main Purpose and Intent

  • Provide annual general-fund appropriations to core justice and public safety agencies for operations, programs, and personnel.
  • Establish targeted funding for victim services, legal aid, cybersecurity, education, and specialized programs (e.g., drug courts, electronic monitoring).
  • Set or modify compensation rates for indigent defense services (attorney appointments) and outline posting rules for reallocation of funds.
  • Allow limited use of inmate labor for community projects and cemeteries/landmarks restoration, with oversight.
  • Encourage state agency purchases from Iowa State Industries and require bid processes for certain purchases.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

A. Department of Justice (FY 2026-2027 appropriations)

  • General Office of Attorney General

    • Total appropriation: $10,919,246
    • 234.00 FTEs
    • Programs funded: prosecuting attorneys training, federal grants matching (e.g., Violence Against Women Act), victim assistance grants, ODometer fraud enforcement, and more.
    • Compliance: DOJ must maintain a record of estimated time representing each agency/department; allows temporary over-expenditure with receivables offset by year-end.

  • Victim Assistance Grants

    • Total: $5,176,593
    • At least $150,000 to care providers for victims of human trafficking; remainder for other victims of violent crime.
    • A portion of the Victim Compensation Fund funds up to 24 FTEs for victim compensation functions; 7.0 FTEs may be used for an accountant and four program planners, contingent on federal funding.
    • Transfers: At least $150,000 must be moved from the Victim Compensation Fund to the Victim Assistance grant program.
    • Unencumbered funds in this area do not revert; they stay available through the end of the next fiscal year.

  • Legal Services for Persons in Poverty Grants

    • Total: $2,634,601

  • DOJ Cybersecurity and Tech Infrastructure

    • Total: $202,060

B. Office of Consumer Advocate (within DOJ)

  • Annual appropriation: $3,784,047 (18.00 FTE)
  • Requires recovery of this amount via charges/revenues and DAS indirect costs.

C. Department of Corrections (FY 2026-2027)

  • Facility Operations (various facilities): Fort Madison, Anamosa, Oakdale, Newton, Mount Pleasant, Rockwell City, Clarinda, Mitchellville, Fort Dodge
    • Examples: Fort Madison $46,724,722; Anamosa $40,255,974; Oakdale $59,344,020; etc. (Totals vary by facility)
  • Oakdale Pharmaceuticals and related needs: $10,175,417
  • Reimbursement for counties for temporary confinement, out-of-state/federal contracts: $1,345,319 and $234,411 respectively

  • Muslim Imam and Native American spiritual leader contracts continued.

  • Administration (Department-wide)

    • Total: $9,650,695
    • Education programs: $3,108,109 (with priority on education and vocational training for inmates to facilitate release)
    • ICON data system: $2,000,000
    • Offender mental health and substance abuse treatment: $28,065
    • Department-wide duties: $5,500,000

  • Judicial District Corrections Services (8 districts)

    • District-specific totals (e.g., 1st: $17,395,981; 2nd: $14,105,725; 3rd: $8,915,376; 4th: $6,563,898; 5th: $25,194,813; 6th: $17,554,811; 7th: $11,003,457; 8th: $10,259,926)
    • Intent: Maintain/drug courts in each district; fund drug courts in several districts as designated.
    • Emphasis on intensive supervision, sex offender treatment, diversion to less restrictive sanctions, job development, and expanded intermediate sanctions.
    • Alternatives to prison encouraged; potential day programs.
    • Federal grants considerations for district-level programs.

D. Reallocation and Flexibility

  • Section 6 authorizes the Department of Corrections to reallocate appropriations within the division to meet needs, with notice to LSA and Department of Management; no program elimination allowed.

E. Inmate Labor and Cemetery/Infrastructure Work

  • Section 7 authorizes inmate labor in cooperation with townships and other entities to restore rural cemeteries, historical landmarks, and cleanup projects.

F. State Agency Purchases from Prison Industries

  • Section 8 encourages purchasing from Iowa State Industries when available; requires bids for purchases over $5,000 of office furniture.

G. Iowa Law Enforcement Academy

  • Total: $2,919,407 (31.00 FTE)
  • Training for human trafficking issues; may adapt or exchange vehicles for training, with receipts to be deposited in the depreciation fund.
  • Training in domestic abuse and human trafficking provided statewide at no cost.

H. State Public Defender

  • Indigent defense funding
    • Salaries/maintenance: $38,627,894 (276.00 FTE)
    • Indigent defense payments (Tit. IV-E): $42,351,374
  • Unencumbered Tit. IV-E funds to Juvenile Justice Improvement Fund for ongoing use.

I. Board of Parole

  • Total: $1,545,114 (10.60 FTE)

J. Other Departments

  • Dept. of Public Defense, Public Safety, Homeland Security & Emergency Management, and related divisions receive comprehensive funding levels for core operations, including public safety communications, fire marshal functions, narcotics enforcement, and more (specific line items provided in the bill).

K. Indigent Defense Hourly Rates (Division II)

  • Existing rate (appointments through June 30, 2026):
    • Class A felonies: $88/hour
    • Class B felonies: $83/hour
    • Other cases: $78/hour
  • New rate (appointments on/after July 1, 2026):
    • Class A felonies: $93/hour
    • Class B felonies: $88/hour
    • Other cases: $83/hour

3) Who/What Is Affected

  • State agencies funding: Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, Office of the State Public Defender, Board of Parole, Department of Public Safety, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, and Departments of Public Defense, Homeland Security, and Emergency Management, among others.
  • Victims and offenders: Funding for victim services (including human trafficking), victim compensation functions, and drug courts; offender education, ICON data system, mental health/substance abuse treatment, and electronic monitoring.
  • Inmates and inmate labor: Authorized use of inmate labor for cemetery restoration, historical landmarks, and road/water source cleanup.
  • Private industry contracts: Inmate labor safeguards in private-sector inmate labor leases; preference for Iowa State Industries for state procurement.
  • Legal service providers: Indigent defense, with increased hourly compensation for appointed counsel.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Fiscal Years Covered: FY 2026-2027 (July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027).
  • Reimbursement reporting: DOJ required to report non-general-fund funding sources and actual reimbursements (fiscal year 2025 and projection for 2026) by January 15, 2027.
  • Pandemic/temporary overages: Several agencies may exceed appropriations temporarily with offsets or receivables, subject to year-end limitations.
  • Unencumbered funds: Several sections authorize funds to remain available beyond the fiscal year (not reverting to the treasury) for specified purposes.

Overall, HF 2770 is a broad funding package that increases or adjusts funding for key functions in Iowa’s justice system, expands victim services, elevates indigent defense compensation, supports corrections system modernization (education, ICON, mental health), and provides flexibility for reallocations within the corrections budget.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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