Iowa Senate Bill SF2264

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/8/24

Caption

A bill for an act relating to criminal identification and criminal history and intelligence data, including fingerprints and palm prints.(Formerly SSB 3017.)

Impact

The bill imposes a two-working-day timeline for law enforcement agencies to forward collected fingerprints and related data to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. This aims to expedite the processing of criminal identification data, enhancing the efficiency of law enforcement operations. Additionally, the bill requires courts to mandate fingerprinting of juveniles adjudicated for specific offenses that would constitute more than simple misdemeanors if committed by adults, ensuring comprehensive tracking and identification from an early age.

Summary

Senate File 2264 addresses the procedures and requirements surrounding criminal identification and criminal history management within the state of Iowa. Specifically, the bill mandates that law enforcement officers must collect fingerprints, palm prints, and photographs from individuals taken into custody for serious misdemeanors, aggravated misdemeanors, or felonies. It further expands the fingerprinting requirements to include individuals issued citations in lieu of custody, thereby broadening the scope of individuals who must comply with these identification protocols.

Contention

While the bill seeks to streamline criminal identification processes, there are potential points of contention regarding privacy and the implications of increased surveillance. Critics may argue that the expansion of fingerprinting requirements could infringe on individual rights or exacerbate issues related to racial profiling. On the other hand, supporters of the bill contend that such measures are necessary to maintain public safety and to better manage criminal records, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness of the justice system.