Capitol Notebook: Baby boy relinquished under Iowa’s safe haven law

A newborn boy surrendered under Iowa’s safe haven law earlier this month is now in the custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the agency announced Tuesday.

The infant, born Sept. 8, will be placed with a foster family while officials work to determine a permanent home. He is the 78th baby to be safely relinquished since the law took effect more than two decades ago, and the fourth infant surrendered this year.

The law provides a safe and anonymous option for parents in crisis who feel unable to care for a newborn to relinquish an infant up to 90 days old at a designated location, such as a hospital, police or fire station, or through 911 with a first responder, without fear of prosecution for child abandonment.

Health and Human Services then places the child in a licensed foster home and begins the process toward permanent adoption.

Since its enactment in 2002, Iowa’s safe haven law has been credited with preventing instances of infant abandonment and giving dozens of babies stable homes.

More information about the program is available at hhs.iowa.gov/programs/CPS/safe-haven. Those interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents can learn more at iowafosterandadoption.org.

Iowa auditor’s office earns top rating in external review

The Iowa State Auditor’s Office received the highest possible rating following an independent review of its work, marking the third consecutive top score since Auditor Rob Sand took office in 2019.

The National State Auditors Association Peer Review Program awarded the office a “pass” rating — the top rating available — for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The review, conducted every three years, examines whether state audit offices have systems of quality control that meet professional standards and operate effectively.

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“This rating reflects the hard work, professionalism, and integrity of our entire team,” Sand said in a statement. “I’m especially proud of the staff for excelling amid a nationwide shortage of auditors and accountants, and despite limits placed on them by the legislature.”

The NSAA program is recognized by the U.S. Government Accountability Office and conducted under Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards. Peer reviewers assess internal controls, policies and procedures, and compliance with standards to ensure offices promote accountability and transparency.

In a letter to Sand, the review team said the Iowa auditor’s office “has been suitably designed and complied with to provide the office with reasonable assurance of performing and reporting in conformity with Government Auditing Standards in all material respects.”

The review included an evaluation of the office’s organizational structure, policies and procedures, independence and qualifications of staff, and continuing professional education. Reviewers also surveyed audit staff, interviewed employees and management, and reviewed documentation from a cross-section of audit engagements.

Offices can receive one of three ratings: pass, pass with deficiencies, or fail. A “pass” rating indicates the office’s system of quality control is appropriately designed and followed.

The report commended the Iowa office for its cooperation and transparency during the process.

The NSAA Peer Review Program is intended to strengthen government auditing nationwide by ensuring state audit organizations meet uniform standards and maintain public confidence.

Brenna Bird files brief with 27 other states backing North Carolina’s vape registry

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird on Tuesday announced she is leading 27 other states in supporting North Carolina’s recently established vape registry as it faces a legal challenge from a vaping industry trade group.

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Bird, whose office filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Monday, said the move is meant to protect children from “illegal Chinese vapes.”

“We know that China continues to illegally market candy-flavored and colorfully-packaged vapes to American kids — products that are actually banned in China,” Bird said in a statement. “They mislabel these unregulated products to slip through customs — putting American kids at risk. State vape and e-cigarette registries inform and help protect their citizens from these illegal foreign vapes.”

North Carolina’s vape registry law was passed earlier this year and went into effect July 1. It created a state-run directory that lists the roughly 900 FDA-approved vape and e-cigarette products that can be legally sold in the state.

Fourteen states, including Iowa, have established similar vape registries. After its enactment in 2024, Iowa’s registry was put on hold when a group of e-cigarette and vaping product distributors sued to block the law’s enforcement.

The other states on the brief are: Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.