Des Moines, Iowa — Most Republicans in the Iowa House have voted to block the state auditor’s access to some types of personal or confidential information, and the bill forbids the state auditor from going to court to get access to state government records.
The bill would set up a three-member arbitration panel to decide whether state agencies or state officials must turn over material for an audit or investigation. Representative Michael Bergan, a Republican from Dorchester, is the bill’s floor manager.
House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans believe State Auditor Rob Sand has sought information that’s out of bounds.
Sand, the only Democrat in statewide office, says the bill would let any agency or state officials hide records.
Sand says the bill follows Republican efforts in other states to limit the authority of elected Democrats.
Sand was first elected state auditor in 2018 and re-elected last November. Sand thanked the six House Republicans who voted against the bill. In March, the 34 Republicans in the Iowa Senate voted to make some types of documents, like tax returns, off limits to the state auditor’s office.
