1. A person commits a class “B” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease with the intent that the uninfected person contract the contagious or infectious disease, and the conduct results in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.

Attorney's Note

Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class B felonyup to 25 years
Class D felonyup to 5 yearsbetween $1,025 and $10,245
Serious misdemeanorup to 1 yearbetween $430 and $2,560
For details, see Iowa Code902.9 and Iowa Code§ 903.1

Terms Used In Iowa Code 709D.3

  • Contagious or infectious disease: means hepatitis in any form, meningococcal disease, AIDS or HIV as defined in section 141A. See Iowa Code 709D.2
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Exposes: means engaging in conduct that poses a substantial risk of transmission. See Iowa Code 709D.2
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Practical means to prevent transmission: means substantial good-faith compliance with a treatment regimen prescribed by the person's health care provider, if applicable, and with behavioral recommendations of the person's health care provider or public health officials, which may include but are not limited to the use of a medically indicated respiratory mask or a prophylactic device, to measurably limit the risk of transmission of the contagious or infectious disease. See Iowa Code 709D.2
 2. A person commits a class “D” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease with the intent that the uninfected person contract the contagious or infectious disease, but the conduct does not result in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.
 3. A person commits a class “D” felony when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease acting with a reckless disregard as to whether the uninfected person contracts the contagious or infectious disease, and the conduct results in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.
 4. A person commits a serious misdemeanor when the person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and exposes an uninfected person to the contagious or infectious disease acting with a reckless disregard as to whether the uninfected person contracts the contagious or infectious disease, but the conduct does not result in the uninfected person becoming infected with the contagious or infectious disease.
 5. The act of becoming pregnant while infected with a contagious or infectious disease, continuing a pregnancy while infected with a contagious or infectious disease, or declining treatment for a contagious or infectious disease during pregnancy shall not constitute a crime under this chapter.
 6. Evidence that a person knows the person is infected with a contagious or infectious disease and has engaged in conduct that exposes others to the contagious or infectious disease, regardless of the frequency of the conduct, is insufficient on its own to prove the intent to transmit the contagious or infectious disease.
 7. A person does not act with the intent required pursuant to subsection 1 or 2, or with the reckless disregard required pursuant to subsection 3 or 4, if the person takes practical means to prevent transmission, or if the person informs the uninfected person that the person has a contagious or infectious disease and offers to take practical means to prevent transmission but that offer is rejected by the uninfected person subsequently exposed to the infectious or contagious disease.
 8. It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section if the person exposed to the contagious or infectious disease knew that the infected person was infected with the contagious or infectious disease at the time of the exposure and consented to exposure with that knowledge.