IA HF322

Creates the "Stop Squatters Act" establishing a new process for property owners to file complaints with law enforcement for immediate removal of unauthorized occupants from their real property

Property owners or authorized agents may request removal if: the occupant is unauthorized, has been notified they cannot be on the property, is not a current/former tenant, is not an immediate family member, and there is no pending litigation regarding the property

Law enforcement must investigate complaints by reviewing alleged lease agreements, interviewing neighbors, and making other inquiries; if conditions are met, they must direct the occupant to immediately vacate and return possession to the owner

Law enforcement agencies may collect an hourly service fee assessed as a civil penalty against the unauthorized occupant; property owners who knowingly file false complaints must indemnify law enforcement for any resulting damages

Establishes criminal penalties for unauthorized building occupation: simple misdemeanor (up to 30 days confinement, $105-$855 fine) for damages of $1,000 or less; serious misdemeanor (up to one year confinement, $430-$2,560 fine) for damages exceeding $1,000