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Bill Summary · SSB 3162

Summary of SSB 3162 (Iowa, 2025-2026) – Pretrial Bond Amounts for Certain Felonies

Purpose and intent

  • SSB 3162 focuses on pretrial release in cases involving certain felonies. The core aim is to establish or adjust requirements related to the amount of bond set before trial for individuals charged with specified felonies, with the goal of balancing public safety, court access, and the presumption of innocence.
  • The bill is framed as a procedural and financial adjustment to pretrial bond practices, rather than creating new criminal penalties or altering substantive criminal liability.

Key provisions and changes

  • The bill specifies criteria for determining pretrial bond amounts in cases involving certain felonies. While the exact felonious offenses covered by the bill are not enumerated in the provided summary, it targets a subset of felonies and directs how bond levels should be assessed.
  • It may introduce or refine factors that influence bond setting, such as risk of flight, danger to the community, ties to the community, criminal history, and the nature of the alleged offense.
  • The measure could establish either minimum or maximum thresholds, or a framework for judges to consider statutory guidelines when setting bond for these offenses.
  • The bill may include provisions on review or modification of bond amounts if a defendant’s circumstances change prior to trial (e.g., via bond reduction or re-bail processes).
  • Potential alignment with existing Iowa pretrial release statutes or court procedures to ensure consistency in practice and to reduce disparities in bond setting.

Note: The precise numerical provisions (specific bond amounts, ranges, or formulas) are not provided in the summary text you shared. The bill’s enacted language would detail the exact amounts and the exact felonies affected.

Who would be affected

  • Individuals charged with the specified felonies addressed by SSB 3162 would be directly affected, as their pretrial bond amounts could be adjusted according to the new criteria.
  • Courts, judges, and court staff responsible for setting and reviewing pretrial bond would implement the new guidelines and procedures.
  • Defense attorneys and prosecutors would need to apply the statutory criteria during bond hearings and in filings.
  • Defendants released pretrial (or held on bond) could experience changes in release conditions, potentially impacting eligibility for release on recognizance or on cash/bail bonds.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: The bill was introduced on February 11, 2026 and referred to the Judiciary committee.
  • Subcommittee process: A subcommittee (Bousselot, Bisignano, and Webster) reviewed the bill.
  • Committee action: On February 18, 2026, the subcommittee recommended passage, and the committee reported approving the bill, renumbered as SF 2399.
  • Next steps: With committee passage and renumbering, the bill would proceed to the full Senate for debate and votes, followed by potential reconciliation with any companion House measures (if applicable) and eventual signature or veto by the governor.

Additional notes

  • The action history indicates public committee consideration and a favorable recommendation, suggesting the bill has cleared initial legislative hurdles.
  • The renumbering to SF 2399 indicates a formal consolidation or alignment with Senate file numbering conventions as it moves forward in the legislative process.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary further once you provide the bill’s exact text or specify the felonies included and the precise bond-related provisions.

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

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