SF 2168 — Veterans courts
SF 2169 — Veterans preference information
SF 2187 — Driver’s license veteran designation
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SF 2168 (SSB 3085) would establish a veterans treatment court, based on the pilot project in Woodbury County, in each judicial district to serve veterans and to integrate court sanctions and incentives with substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment and transitional services.
The veterans’ treatment court is required to integrate justice system case processing with alcohol and drug treatment and with mental health services, to use a non-adversarial approach in proceedings, and to provide early and prompt identification and placement of eligible participants in the treatment programs. It must establish ongoing interaction with each veteran, coordinate treatment and rehabilitation services, and monitor and evaluate treatment. It also is required to continue interdisciplinary education to promote effective veterans treatment court planning and operation, and to form partnerships among veterans’ treatment courts, public agencies and community based organizations.
The chief judge of a district must designate one or more of the district judges and district associate judges to act as judges of the veterans’ treatment court for a judicial district, and a designated judge may preside in more than one county. The Iowa Supreme Court must prescribe rules to establish the jurisdiction and administration of the veterans’ treatment court, in consultation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, the County Commissions of Veteran Affairs, the Department of Human Services, the State Public Defender and the Iowa County Attorneys Association. The bill was referred to Appropriations. [2/11: short form]
SF 2169 (SSB 3084) requires the Department of Workforce Development (IWD) to establish a clearinghouse to provide information on Iowa Code Chapter 35C concerning veterans preference. IWD will develop the information in consultation with the Iowa Attorney General, and include information concerning the enforcement of the requirements of the chapter. IWD, the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs and the Attorney General’s office are required to include a link to that information on their websites. [2/11: short form]
SF 2187 (SSB 3083) allows the issuance of a driver’s license or non-operator’s identification card marked to reflect veteran status upon presentation of the licensee’s certification of release or discharge from active duty to the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) at the time of the request to have the license or card marked to reflect veteran status. Currently, honorably discharged veterans take a copy of their DD214 or applicable discharge document to the county or state veterans’ affairs office to have their eligibility certified, and they are given an authorization form to present to the DOT issuance station. [2/11: short form]