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Capitol Notebook: Iowa AG announces new resources to help crime victims
Also, Iowa to receive $82 million for bus upgrades, low-emission vehicles under federal infrastructure law
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Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird recently announced two upgrades to her office’s Victim Assistance Section, including a new statewide coordinator to support sexual assault forensic care and an updated online portal for prosecutors designed to speed restitution payments to crime victims.
The office has hired a sexual assault forensic response coordinator who will provide free training and technical assistance for sexual assault nurse examiners who are trained to treat sexual assault victims and collect forensic evidence. Bird’s office said increasing the number of these nurses in Iowa will improve care for victims and strengthen support for hospitals, nurses and law enforcement agencies.
Bird also unveiled a redesigned prosecutor portal that allows county attorneys to see, in real time, whether victims have received restitution owed under Iowa law. The previous system often caused delays, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The new interface is intended to speed up sentencing processes, eliminate barriers and improve restitution collection.
“As a mom and a prosecutor, serving Iowans who have been victims of a crime has been my priority from day one and one of the main reasons I ran for attorney general,” Bird said in a statement. “ … The special nurse coordinator and the new victim restitution payment portal will help sexual assault victims on their road to recovery and make sure they get the restitution they are owed.”
The changes come as Bird continues an overhaul of the Victim Assistance Section — an effort that has drawn scrutiny. In 2023, Bird paused reimbursements to providers for contraception and abortion care for sexual assault victims during a 17-month review of victim services programs. Her office later resumed payment for emergency contraception but said it would no longer cover abortion procedures.
Bird emphasized that “not one victim was denied services due to the audit.” Victims were able to receive contraception and abortions during the review period; only the reimbursements to providers were paused.
Victim advocates criticized Bird’s decision, saying it created unnecessary hardship and that cost should never be a barrier for victims seeking care. Democrats also criticized the decision, saying her report showed no legal or fiscal basis for suspending payments.
Bird joins GOP attorneys general urging review of railroad merger
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has joined eight other Republican attorneys general in urging federal regulators to closely scrutinize a proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, warning it could weaken competition and raise shipping costs for farmers and manufacturers.
In a letter sent last week to the Surface Transportation Board, the coalition argues the merger would create “undue market concentration” in the freight rail industry, risking higher prices, reduced reliability and slower innovation. The attorneys general said weakened rail competition would hit agricultural producers especially hard, potentially increasing costs across the supply chain and harming rural economies.
“The law is very clear — mergers should be allowed only when they are in the best interest of the people,” Bird said in a statement. “I’m asking for a careful review of this proposed merger to be sure that it won’t hurt our Iowa farmers or manufacturers by raising prices and lowering reliability.”
The Tennessee-led letter — also signed by attorneys general from Kansas, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Ohio — urges the STB to block the deal unless regulators determine it would strengthen competition, improve service and enhance safety.
The coalition noted that rail consolidation in recent decades has already driven up shipping costs for many industries and contributed to service problems. Additional consolidation, they warned, could “throttle the economy as a whole with the costs of this merger.”
Under federal law, the STB may only approve rail mergers that serve the public interest, a standard that requires public benefits to outweigh anti-competitive harms. The attorneys general argue the companies seeking to merge must clearly demonstrate such benefits before regulators consider approval.
Bird framed the issue as particularly consequential for Iowa, where farmers and manufacturers depend heavily on freight rail to move grain, fertilizer and other goods to market.
Iowa awarded $82 million for bus, fleet upgrades
Iowa transit agencies will receive more than $82 million for new buses, low-emission vehicles and facility upgrades under federal awards funded through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley announced Friday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation approved a total of more than $82 million for projects across the state through its Buses & Bus Facilities and Low- or No-Emission programs — both of which were funded by the infrastructure law Grassley supported during the Biden administration.
“I voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill with Iowa’s future in mind, and it’s good to see the law continue its strong return on investment,” Grassley said in a statement. “By authorizing these grants, the Trump administration is helping provide efficient and reliable travel options for Iowans.”
Awards include:
- Iowa DOT — $27.8 million for the Iowa Bus Replacement Program to purchase new buses and vans for 14 transit systems.
- Iowa DOT — $19.9 million for the Iowa Low-No Project to replace aging buses and expand or build three transit facilities.
- Ames Transit Agency (CyRide) — $14.6 million to expand bus storage, maintenance and administrative space.
- Iowa City Transit — $8.7 million to replace older fixed-route and paratransit buses.
- University of Iowa CAMBUS — $6.2 million to buy new diesel-electric hybrid buses.
- Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of Omaha (Metro) — $4.9 million for new compressed natural gas buses serving the Iowa-Nebraska region to replace older diesel buses.
The grants aim to modernize Iowa’s transit fleet, expand service capacity and move more agencies toward cleaner, lower-emission vehicles.
IEDA board backs Kraft Heinz upgrades, startup funding and community recreation projects
The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on Friday approved financial assistance for three companies and advanced several community and reinvestment projects across the state.
Board members approved a $2 million forgivable loan and state tax incentives to Kraft Heinz to modernize its Muscatine manufacturing plant — the company’s oldest facility in operation. The $48 million project will upgrade infrastructure and help retain 404 jobs, according to IEDA.
Two early-stage companies also secured support through the state’s Proof of Commercial Relevance program. Pani Clean Inc. of Coralville was awarded a $50,000 loan to advance its modular technology that removes nitrates from wastewater and converts them into nitrogen gas or reusable green ammonia. Halide Biologics of Iowa City also was awarded a $50,000 loan to continue developing more stable protein therapeutics designed to improve existing drug treatments for a number of diseases and conditions.
Through the Community Attraction and Tourism program, the IEDA board awarded grants to three quality-of-life projects:
- Decorah: $1 million for a new athletic complex featuring ballfields, pickleball courts, batting cages, a playground and accessible restrooms.
- Fonda: $39,000 for two professional-grade outdoor pickleball courts and a connecting sidewalk to nearby park amenities.
- Camp High Hopes in Sioux City: $818,000 for a 15,000-square-foot adaptive recreation center expected to expand services for children and adults with disabilities.
The board also approved amended plans for two major reinvestment districts:
- Cedar Rapids’ Central Reinvestment District will move forward with a revised project list totaling a $6 million maximum state benefit, supporting mixed-use development, an entertainment center and public plaza.
- Des Moines’ Merle Hay Reinvestment District received final approval for its amended plan, maintaining its $26.5 million maximum benefit for a redevelopment effort that includes a new arena, hotel, retail, financial services and mixed-use housing.
New system for applying to state boards, commissions announced
Application to Iowa boards and commissions will now be submitted through IAppoint, a modernized system that replaces Talent Bank, the governor’s office said.
There are more than 180 citizen-populated state boards and commissions that provide advice and recommendations to the executive branch of state government. Board and commission members are appointed by the governor, and a select few require confirmation by the Iowa Senate.
IAppoint was developed by the governor’s office, the Iowa Department of Management, the Iowa Department of Information Technology, and Webspec, a Des Moines web design and development agency, according to the governor’s office. The new system features advanced search terms, appointment notifications and current membership status.
“In order to maximize the taxpayer dollar, it is incumbent on government to consistently review and improve our systems,” Reynolds said in a press release. “IAppoint is another way to enhance our quality of service and inform Iowans about the essential civic duty of serving on one of our many state boards and commissions to play an active role in helping shape the state we call home.”
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