All Roll Calls
Yes: 120 • No: 15
IowaSF 64891st General Assembly (2025–2026)SenateWALLET
A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the judicial branch including judicial officer salaries and interpreter or translator fees, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1233.) Effective date: 06/20/2025, 07/01/2025.
Sponsored By: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Iowa judges receive fixed salary rates
Annual salaries apply starting with the pay period beginning June 20, 2025. Supreme Court salaries are $211,059 for the chief justice and $201,609 for each other justice. Appeals court salaries are $189,010 for the chief judge and $182,709 for each associate judge. District salaries are $176,409 for chief judges and $170,108 for other district judges. District associate, associate juvenile, and associate probate judges each receive $151,208. Magistrates receive $46,621, and senior judges receive $10,080. Recipients cannot receive additional salary adjustments under this law or another act.
Funding keeps Iowa courts running
Iowa provides about $202.7 million for court operations from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The money supports salaries, child-support payment processing, clerk-office audit reimbursements, maintenance, and equipment. The Judicial Branch must maintain public access and regular courthouse hours at all 99 county clerks’ offices. It must use state budget and payroll systems and submit monthly financial statements. It must also provide twice-yearly updates on collected fines, surcharges, and court costs.
Civil trials gain neighboring county option
From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, Iowa civil trials can move to a neighboring county. All parties must agree, and the option includes jury trials. The neighboring county can be across judicial or judicial election district lines. Court staff treat the move as a change of venue.
Interpreter fees escape court collection charge
Beginning July 1, 2025, interpreter and translator fees are excluded from Iowa’s 15% court-debt collection fee. For eligible collections assigned to the Department of Revenue, the department keeps 15% and sends 85% to court clerks. Other exclusions cover restitution for financial losses, victim compensation payments, and crime services, domestic and sexual abuse, and agricultural theft surcharges. The sex offender civil penalty is also excluded. The change governs collection-fee treatment and payment distribution; it does not itself cancel the underlying interpreter or translator fees.
Funding covers jurors and court interpreters
Iowa provides $3.6 million for its court revolving fund for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The fund pays jury and witness fees, mileage, juror-summoning costs, and court interpreter and translator costs. It also reimburses the state public defender quarterly for certain appointed-attorney fees in parental-rights termination cases. Uncommitted fund receipts carry forward instead of returning to the general fund. Each February 1, the Judicial Branch must report the fund’s finances and estimated future payments to legislative staff.
Funding supports graduated sanctions for juveniles
Iowa provides $12.253 million for juvenile graduated sanctions services for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. State money saved through efforts to obtain federal matching funds for juvenile court administration also supports these services. The law allows saved state funds to help draw federal Title IV-E funds under the Family First Act. Uncommitted money remains available through June 30, 2029.
Judges face possible unpaid layoff days
From July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, the Iowa Supreme Court can order judicial officers onto unpaid leave. This applies only on days Judicial Branch employees are temporarily laid off and reduces pay for the affected two-week period. The branch can use an amount equal to those salary savings for purposes other than judicial salaries. Judicial officers can also voluntarily waive reimbursement for official travel outside their home county during that budget year.
Iowa courts must prioritize overdue debt
Beginning July 1, 2025, the Iowa Judicial Branch must focus collection efforts on overdue court debt. This includes fines, penalties, court costs, fees, surcharges, and similar amounts. The rule sets collection priorities but does not change the underlying amount owed.
Juvenile services funded, but orders limited
Iowa provides $3.29 million for state-paid juvenile court services for July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. School-based supervision is capped at $1.556 million, including $25,000 for training; administration is capped at $83,000. The state court administrator divides funds among districts using annual census data, and funding covers actual interstate commission membership costs. During that budget year, courts cannot order state-paid services without enough district funds or shift state-chargeable costs to counties. Uncommitted money remains available through June 30, 2029.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/14/2025
Passed House
Yes: 86 • No: 1
Senate vote • 5/13/2025
Passed Senate
Yes: 34 • No: 14
Actions Timeline
Explanations of votes.
6/27/2025HouseSigned by Governor.
6/11/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor.
5/23/2025SenateNOBA: Final
5/21/2025legislatureExplanation of vote.
5/20/2025HouseMessage from House.
5/14/2025SenateImmediate message.
5/14/2025HousePassed House, yeas 86, nays 1.
5/14/2025HouseSubstituted for HF 1048.
5/14/2025HouseNOBA: Senate Floor
5/13/2025SenateRead first time, passed on file.
5/13/2025HouseMessage from Senate.
5/13/2025HouseImmediate message.
5/13/2025SenatePassed Senate, yeas 34, nays 14.
5/13/2025SenateAmendment S-3156 adopted.
5/13/2025SenateAmendment S-3156 filed.
5/12/2025SenateNOBA: Senate Full Approps
5/7/2025SenateCommittee report, approving bill.
5/6/2025SenateIntroduced, placed on Appropriations calendar.
5/6/2025Senate
Bill Text
As Introduced
Enrolled
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