Lawmakers in Iowa are considering a bill to classify most booking photos as confidential records that would not be released to the public through record requests.

Booking photos, also known as mugshots, are regularly released to the public by law enforcement agencies, either by their own initiative or in response to record requests. The photos are used for various purposes by both the news media and the criminal justice establishment.

Iowa House File 47 would prohibit the dissemination of most booking photos unless the subject has been convicted of a crime. Exceptions could be made for persons considered fugitives or threats to public safety, or under a judicial order that "furthers a legitimate interest".

The purported reason for the bill is to protect the reputations of persons who have been arrested and later vindicated. However, it would also remove a degree of transparency into the activities of law enforcement and the government.