Senate votes to make IASB subject to openness laws

DES MOINES – A nonprofit school board group under fire for allegations of inflated salaries and other questionable practices would be subject to Iowa's open meetings and open records laws under a bill that won Iowa Senate approval Tuesday.

Senators voted 49-0 to make the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) subject to state openness requirements. Sen. Pat Ward, R-West Des Moines, who sponsored the amendment to a fiscal 2011 education budget bill, said she was confident it would help prevent future discrepancies for the organization.

“In light of recent reports pertaining to troublesome allegations involving the misuse of taxpayer dollars at the Iowa Association of School Board, this amendment could not come at a better time,” she said.  “Organizations that receive state dollars need to be held accountable.”

Ward noted that the association annually collects local dues from 361 school districts ranging from $726 to $10,366, depending on a school district's enrollment.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said senators took the extraordinary step of applying open meetings and open records laws to a privately run association because of the allegations that have come to light in recent days.

“I'd say for sure if you end up on the front page with scandals, the Legislature is going to want more information, not less,” he said.

“With that standard, if you're a nonprofit that's involved in a scandal that involves public tax dollars, yes, this does set a precedent,” Gronstal added. “Now, if you're not involved in a scandal, it may not lead to that. That piece remains to be seen.”

Comments: (515) 243-7220;

rod.boshart@gazcomm.com