DES MOINES, IOWA (June 2, 2023) — State Auditor Rob Sand today responded to Governor Kim Reynolds signing Senate File 478. The bill lets state agencies and the Governor work together to hide documents from the auditor and eliminates checks and balances by killing Iowa courts’ ability to review such decisions. It also jeopardizes the state’s bond rating and puts billions of dollars in federal aid for Iowa at risk.
“We call this the worst pro-corruption bill in Iowa history for a reason. It will allow insiders to play fast and loose with Iowans’ tax dollars because those very same people will be able to deny the Auditor’s Office access to the records necessary to expose them,” said Auditor Sand. “As Assistant Attorney General, I prosecuted criminal cases for seven years. This is akin to letting the defendant decide what evidence the judge and jury are allowed to see.”
The law will take effect on July 1, just as other states are expanding the oversight powers of auditors.
“Gov Reynolds ignored a bipartisan group of oversight and accounting professionals opposed to the bill, as well as members of her own party who voted against it,” said Auditor Sand. “More importantly, she ignored Iowans who want to know how their tax dollars are spent.”
In his first term, Auditor Sand uncovered a record amount of waste, fraud, and abuse of tax-payers’ dollars. He is also the only Democrat currently holding statewide elected office.
