Bill Text: IA SF2187 | 2023-2024 | 90th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the use of video conferences in judicial proceedings, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly SF 400, SSB 1014.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-19 - Fiscal note. [SF2187 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2023-SF2187-Introduced.html
Senate
File
2187
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
2187
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
TECHNOLOGY
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SF
400)
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SSB
1014)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
use
of
video
conferences
in
judicial
1
proceedings,
and
including
effective
date
provisions.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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S.F.
2187
Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
602.1601A
Video
conferences
in
1
judicial
proceedings.
2
1.
Upon
motion
of
any
of
the
parties,
an
initial
appearance
3
or
arraignment
shall
be
conducted
by
video
conference
with
the
4
parties
and
other
participants
if
appropriate
technology
is
5
available.
6
2.
Upon
motion
of
any
of
the
parties,
a
pretrial
conference,
7
scheduling
conference,
or
any
other
noncontested
judicial
8
proceeding
shall
be
conducted
by
video
conference
with
the
9
parties
and
other
participants,
if
appropriate
technology
is
10
available,
unless
the
court
orders
the
proceeding
to
be
held
in
11
person
for
good
cause.
A
court’s
determination
of
good
cause
12
shall
be
made
separately
for
each
motion.
13
3.
Upon
motion
of
any
of
the
parties,
a
hearing
in
a
14
criminal,
juvenile,
or
postconviction
relief
proceeding
may
15
be
conducted
by
video
conference
with
the
parties
and
other
16
participants
if
the
hearing
is
conducted
in
an
efficient
17
manner,
the
hearing
does
not
prejudice
a
substantial
right
of
18
any
party,
and
appropriate
technology
is
available.
19
4.
Any
party
may
file
a
resistance
to
a
motion
to
hold
20
a
judicial
proceeding
by
video
conference
pursuant
to
this
21
section.
22
Sec.
2.
Section
624.1,
subsection
1,
Code
2024,
is
amended
23
to
read
as
follows:
24
1.
All
issues
of
fact
in
ordinary
actions
shall
be
tried
25
upon
oral
evidence
taken
in
open
court,
except
that
depositions
26
may
be
used
as
provided
by
law.
“Open
court”
includes
the
27
remote
testimony
of
a
witness
by
video
conference
or
other
28
remote
means
of
communication
if
approved
by
the
court.
29
Sec.
3.
EFFECTIVE
DATE.
This
Act,
being
deemed
of
immediate
30
importance,
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
31
EXPLANATION
32
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
33
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
34
This
bill
relates
to
the
use
of
video
conferences
in
judicial
35
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S.F.
2187
proceedings
and
certified
shorthand
reporter
audio
and
video
1
recordings.
2
The
bill
provides
that
upon
motion
of
any
party,
an
3
initial
appearance
or
arraignment
shall
be
conducted
by
4
video
conference
with
the
parties
and
other
participants
if
5
appropriate
technology
is
available.
Upon
motion
of
any
6
party,
a
pretrial
conference,
scheduling
conference,
or
any
7
other
noncontested
judicial
proceeding
shall
be
conducted
by
8
video
conference
with
the
parties
and
other
participants
if
9
appropriate
technology
is
available,
unless
the
court
orders
10
the
proceeding
to
be
held
in
person
for
good
cause.
11
The
bill
provides
that
upon
motion
of
any
party,
a
hearing
12
in
a
criminal,
juvenile,
or
postconviction
relief
proceeding
13
may
be
conducted
by
video
conference
with
the
parties
and
14
other
participants
if
the
hearing
is
conducted
in
an
efficient
15
manner,
the
hearing
does
not
prejudice
a
substantial
right
of
16
any
party,
and
appropriate
technology
is
available.
17
The
bill
provides
that
any
party
may
file
a
resistance
to
a
18
motion
to
hold
a
judicial
proceeding
by
video
conference.
19
The
bill
amends
the
definition
of
“open
court”
in
Code
20
section
624.1
(evidence
in
ordinary
actions)
to
include
the
21
remote
testimony
of
a
witness
by
video
conference
or
other
22
remote
means
of
communication
if
approved
by
the
court.
23
The
bill
takes
effect
upon
enactment.
24
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