March 28, 2024

Preventing the dangerous crime of stalking

The Iowa Senate recently approved two bills to prevent stalking, which can leave victims feeling terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened or worse.

SF 395 expands the definition of stalking for criminal prosecutions to include technological devices repeatedly used to locate, listen to or watch another person without a legitimate purpose.

In addition, the bill says that a person commits stalking when they purposefully engage in behavior toward another that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or threatened. Under current law, a person must fear that the stalker intends to cause bodily injury or death to them or an immediate family member.

Our proposals also requires that the stalker knows or should know that a reasonable person would feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or threatened, or fear bodily injury or death because of the stalker’s behavior.

State legislators across the nation have introduced GPS tracking bills this year. These bills would prohibit stalkers from attaching a GPS tracking device on a car or placing it in a backpack or purse of an unsuspecting victim.

The impetus for these bills came from “Jackie’s Law.” Jackie was a New York woman who was stalked and killed by her boyfriend after a GPS device was placed on her car.

More and more, stalkers are able to use GPS to find their victims. These devices can be purchased for as little as $14 and easily hidden so that the victim is unaware. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one in four stalking cases involves tracking technology and one in 13 involves electronic monitoring or GPS tracking.

SF 416 makes it a serious misdemeanor in Iowa to use GPS tracking for stalking. However, the bill does not prevent parents from placing a device on their child's car to keep tabs on their whereabouts.

Contact Sen. Chaz Allen during the week by calling the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise, he can be reached at 641-521-6297. Email him at
chaz.allen@legis.iowa.gov.