District 11 State Rep. Craig Williams (R-Manning) highlighted recent legislative proposals and community events in his latest newsletter to constituents. Williams noted strong attendance at the Shelby County Cattlemen’s annual banquet and auction Feb. 7 at the Defiance Church Hall, with an estimated 650 people gathering for dinner and fundraising in support of the local ag economy. On the legislative front, Williams outlined a proposed “three-and-done” sentencing bill that was introduced earlier in the legislative session by his colleague from Crawford County, Rep. Steve Holt. The proposal would impose a mandatory 20-year prison sentence without parole for habitual offenders who accumulate three strikes through felony convictions and certain aggravated misdemeanors. Some misdemeanors would count as half-strikes. He also described a pretrial accountability and bail reform proposal aimed at reducing repeat offenses by tightening release standards, adjusting bail schedules for inflation, and requiring additional verification before a suspect was eligible for pretrial release. Another judicial bill, House Study Bill (HSB) 631, would create an online performance dashboard to give voters data on judges’ bail and sentencing decisions, reversal rates, and case efficiency ahead of retention elections. Williams notes those are just a few of the bills making their way through the House, as hundreds upon hundreds are typically introduced each session. Williams says committees are working to advance bills before the Feb. 20 funnel deadline. Constituents with questions, concerns, or complaints are encouraged to contact Williams directly by email at craig.williams@legis.iowa.gov.
