Capitol Notebook: Iowa Auditor Sand pitches legislative wish list

DES MOINES — Public officials who steal $10,000 of taxpayer funds should serve at least some time in jail, Iowa Auditor Rob Sand is proposing.

Sand on Monday held a press conference to discuss his legislative priorities ahead of the annual state legislative session, which begins next week.

Sand has proposed six pieces of legislation, many of which he has advocated for in the past.

Sand is the lone statewide elected Democrat in Iowa; Republicans control the state lawmaking process with majorities in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature and a GOP governor.

“Today is me doing the right thing, suggesting ideas that directly impact the State Auditor’s Office, not weighing whether or not the Legislature wants to pass them,” Sand said during Monday’s press conference. “I should be advocating for them regardless.”

Sand’s legislative proposals include:

Sand said he believes the jail requirement for major public defrauding crimes should be considered common sense, and that he has been told by some Republican state lawmakers that they support the idea.

When he worked in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office before being elected auditor, Sand was a part of the state’s legal team that secured the conviction of an Iowa man who rigged $14.3 million in winnings for a multi-state lottery.

“It should be that if you steal a large amount of money from taxpayers, you are going to go to prison,” Sand said during the press conference. “Everyone who handles tax dollars should know if you steal tax dollars, you will go to prison for it. That shouldn’t be complicated. It shouldn’t be controversial.

“We’re not suggesting that we lock them up forever and throw away the key. What we’re suggesting is that they no longer be eligible for probation.”

The 2026 session of the Iowa Legislature begins Monday, Jan. 12.

Reynolds establishes Iowa nuclear task force

Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday signed an executive order establishing the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force — a group assembled to advise her, state lawmakers and state agencies on the development and advancement of nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure in the state, as the use of artificial intelligence is expected to increase energy demand.

The task force was one of many components included in Reynolds’ legislative energy plan, which failed to advance during the 2025 session.

“Nuclear energy is a vital part of Iowa’s energy future, and I am committed to advancing reliable, sustainable energy solutions that strengthen our energy independence and fuel economic growth," Reynolds said in a statement. “With our strong foundation in manufacturing and energy innovation, we are uniquely positioned to lead the nation in developing and deploying nuclear technologies.”

The task force is comprised of Iowa leaders in the energy industry, including with Alliant, MidAmerican Energy and NextEra Energy, as well as leaders in academia and state and local government. Among them is Linn County Supervisor Brandy Zumbach Meisheid. The full task force can be seen on the Iowa Governor’s Office website, governor.iowa.gov.

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The task force will be required to submit its final report detailing its findings and recommendations to the governor by July.

Iowa native Dr. Mark Nutt, current director of Nuclear Energy Programs at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will serve as chair of the 11-member task force.

“I’m honored to serve as chair of the Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force,” Nutt said in a statement. “As a graduate of Iowa State University's Nuclear Engineering program, I’m grateful for the opportunity to apply my background to help evaluate how nuclear energy can responsibly and effectively benefit Iowans. This is an exciting time to explore innovative solutions for Iowa’s energy future.”

NextEra Energy is seeking approval from federal, state and local entities to restart Iowa’s only nuclear power plant, the Duane Arnold Energy Center, near Palo, by early 2029 to help meet growing U.S. energy demand.

Iowa joins federal school choice tax credit program

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Gov. Kim Reynolds opted Iowa into a federal education tax credit program designed to help expand school choice.

A part of federal Republicans’ tax policy and spending legislation passed in 2025, the program creates a federally funded, dollar-for-dollar tax credit match up to $1,700 for eligible taxpayers who contributed to approved scholarship granting organizations, or SGOs, which are nonprofit organizations that provide student scholarships.

Scholarships through the federal tax credit program will be available to students from families below 300 percent of their area median income, according to the governor’s office.

“Iowa believes in empowering every student and family with world-class educational options — from our K-12 public schools to public charter schools, accredited private schools, and homeschooling — so they can choose the best place and path for their future,” Reynolds said in a press release. “The Trump Administration’s federal tax credit will complement Iowa’s existing programs, expanding opportunity even further while reinforcing the state’s commitment to school choice.”

The program goes into effect in 2027.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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