Senate Study Bill 1001 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SCHULTZ) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the place of trial for certain criminal 1 offenses. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1580XC (1) 91 as/js
S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 803.3, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 8. a. Except as otherwise provided in this 3 section, if the county in which an offense was committed cannot 4 be readily determined, trial of the offense shall be held in 5 the county of residence of the victim. 6 b. If there is no victim, the victim is not a resident 7 of this state, or the residence of the victim cannot be 8 established, trial of the offense shall be held in the county 9 of residence of the person charged with the offense. 10 c. If the victim is not a natural person, venue for trial 11 of the offense is proper in any county where the victim has a 12 physical presence. 13 d. If there is more than one victim, trial of the offenses 14 may be held in any county in which a victim resides with the 15 county of residence of a natural person taking priority over 16 the county of residence of other victims. 17 EXPLANATION 18 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 19 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 20 This bill relates to the place of trial for certain criminal 21 offenses. 22 The bill provides that if the county in which an offense was 23 committed cannot be readily determined, trial of the offense 24 shall be held in the county of residence of the victim. If 25 there is no victim, the victim is not a resident of this state, 26 or the residence of the victim cannot be established, trial 27 shall be held in the county of residence of the person charged 28 with the offense. If the victim is not a natural person, 29 venue for trial of the offense is proper in any county where 30 the victim has a physical presence. If there is more than 31 one victim, trial may be held in any county in which a victim 32 resides with the county of residence of a natural person taking 33 priority over the county of residence of other victims. 34 -1- LSB 1580XC (1) 91 as/js 1/ 1