House File 511 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 511 BY SCHULTZ (COMPANION TO LSB 1088SS BY HAMERLINCK) A BILL FOR An Act creating criminal offenses for falsely claiming the 1 receipt of certain military medals or decorations and 2 providing penalties. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1088YH (4) 84 aw/nh

H.F. 511 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 718B.1 Military medals or 1 decorations protections —— penalties. 2 1. False claims about receipt of military decorations or 3 medals. A person shall not falsely represent, verbally or in 4 writing, that the person was awarded any decoration or medal 5 authorized by the United States Congress for the armed forces 6 of the United States, any of the service medals or badges 7 awarded to the members of such forces, the ribbon, button, 8 or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or any 9 colorable imitation of such item. A person violating this 10 subsection commits a serious misdemeanor. 11 2. Enhanced penalty for offenses involving Congressional 12 medal of honor. 13 a. If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under 14 subsection 1 is a Congressional medal of honor, the violation 15 is an aggravated misdemeanor. 16 b. For purposes of this subsection, the term “Congressional 17 medal of honor” means any of the following: 18 (1) A medal of honor awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 3741, 6241, 19 or 8741 or 14 U.S.C. § 491. 20 (2) A duplicate medal of honor issued under 10 U.S.C. § 21 3754, 6256, or 8754 or 14 U.S.C. § 504. 22 (3) A replacement of a medal of honor provided under 10 23 U.S.C. § 3747, 6253, or 8747 or 14 U.S.C. § 501. 24 3. Enhanced penalty for offenses involving certain other 25 medals. If a decoration or medal involved in an offense 26 described in subsection 1 is a distinguished-service cross 27 awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 3742, a navy cross awarded under 10 28 U.S.C. § 6242, an air force cross awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 29 8742, a silver star awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 3746, 6244, or 30 8746, a purple heart awarded under 10 U.S.C. § 1129, or any 31 replacement or duplicate medal for such medal as authorized by 32 law, the violation is an aggravated misdemeanor. 33 EXPLANATION 34 This bill creates a criminal offense for falsely claiming 35 -1- LSB 1088YH (4) 84 aw/nh 1/ 2

H.F. 511 the receipt of certain military medals or decorations. Such 1 offense is a serious misdemeanor. Under Code chapter 903, a 2 serious misdemeanor shall carry a fine of at least $315 but not 3 more than $1,875. For this violation a court may also order 4 imprisonment of not more than one year. 5 The bill creates enhanced sentences if the medal 6 or decoration involved is the medal of honor, the 7 distinguished-service cross, navy cross, air force cross, 8 silver star, purple heart, or a replacement or duplicate 9 of these medals. The bill elevates these violations to an 10 aggravated misdemeanor. Under Code chapter 903, an aggravated 11 misdemeanor shall carry a fine of at least $625 but not 12 more than $6,250. For this violation a court may also order 13 imprisonment of not more than two years. 14 -2- LSB 1088YH (4) 84 aw/nh 2/ 2