DES MOINES, IOWA (January 28, 2026) — Iowa House Republicans released a slate of tough-on-crime legislative proposals to ensure Iowa does not become a haven for career criminals. The three bills released today will run through the Judiciary and Public Safety Committees.
The first bill, which is awaiting a bill number, is the House Republicans Career Criminals bill. This legislation creates a cumulative strike system for repeat offenders, triggering a mandatory minimum twenty-year sentence without parole once a career criminal reaches three full strikes.
- One Full Strike: Any conviction for felonies and specific aggravated misdemeanors, including sex offenses, assaults, certain thefts, and drug possession; and
- 0.5 Strike: All other aggravated misdemeanors and some serious misdemeanors, including those involving assaults, drug possession and theft.
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Steven Holt (R-Denison) will lead this bill through the Iowa House.
"Under current law, repeat violent offenders are released back onto the streets where they become a risk to our children and loved ones," Holt said.
"The tiered-strike system outlined in this bill is a common sense, fair system that ensures once an individual chooses a pattern of dangerous criminal behavior that they are removed from society and unable to continue to wreak havoc on our communities."
The second bill, which will run through the Public Safety Committee, is a pretrial accountability and bail reform act. The major components of the bill include:
- Inflation-Adjusted Bail Schedules: Require an update to the statewide bail schedules to adjust for inflation.
- Justification for Deviation: Any judge who departs from the Supreme Court’s established bail schedule must document their specific reasoning on the record.
- Restricting 'Promise to Appear' (PTA): PTA release will only be allowed if an individual has been charged with a nonviolent, nondrug-related simple or serious misdemeanor.
- Fact-Checking Pretrial Release: Requires the Department of Corrections to independently verify claims regarding residency, employment, and criminal record before release can be considered.
Public Safety Committee Chairman Mike Vondran (R-Davenport) will lead this bill through the Iowa House."The Justice System is meant to serve as a rigorous gatekeeper," Vondran said.
"Current loopholes and excessive judicial discretion have allowed career criminals to return to the streets shortly after arrest. These reforms close those gaps. By identifying dangerous criminals and tightening the bail system, Iowa can ensure that its justice system works to keep our communities safe."
House Study Bill 631 will create a dashboard to provide Iowans with objective data on how judges exercise their discretion. It requires the state to collect and publish information including:
- Bond & Sentencing Decisions: How often a judge departs from standard bail schedules or statutory sentencing recommendations;
- Legal Accuracy: The frequency with which a judge’s decisions are overturned by higher courts for legal errors; and
- Efficiency: How quickly a judge rules on motions and cases.
Representative Charley Thomson (R-Charles City) will lead this bill through the Iowa House."Currently, when Iowans head to the polls for retention elections, they are often flying blind, forced to rely on hearsay rather than hard facts," Thomson said.
"By making this information clear and accessible to Iowans, we are empowering voters with an accurate understanding of how a judge manages the people's business. This isn't about telling judges how to rule; it is about ensuring that when they use their discretion, they do so in the light of day."
House Study Bill 631 is live on the Iowa Legislative website and has a subcommittee scheduled on February 5, 2026. The other two bills will be introduced before the end of the week.
