IA HF2127

Courts must order parents, legal guardians, or legal custodians to attend any court-ordered class alongside their child when the child is adjudicated delinquent and ordered to attend the class as part of their disposition.

Parents of children adjudicated delinquent three or more times must attend a mandatory parental responsibility class.

Failure to comply constitutes a public offense: first offense is a simple misdemeanor (up to 10 days confinement or $100 fine), second offense is a serious misdemeanor (up to 20 days and/or $500 fine), and third or subsequent offenses carry up to 30 days confinement and/or $1,000 fine.

Courts may substitute up to 40 hours of unpaid community service for fines or confinement, and parents can avoid criminal liability by filing a court-approved affidavit demonstrating good-faith compliance efforts.

The requirements do not apply to parents without physical care of the child or to legal guardians/custodians that are not individuals (e.g., agencies or institutions).