Newsroom - Page 6

DES MOINES—The Judicial Safety bill proposed by Attorney General Brenna Bird unanimously passed out of subcommittee in the Iowa House of Representatives yesterday.  The Judicial Safety bill makes it a “C” felony — up to 10 years in prison — to make threats against judicial officers and their immediate family members. The bill creates a serious misdemeanor charge for doxxing judicial officers or their immediate family. It...

DES MOINES—Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird secured another important victory in her ongoing lawsuit against TikTok for lying to parents and children about the frequency and severity of inappropriate videos that it shows to kids. This win also means that Attorney General Brenna Bird can continue to hold big tech companies accountable when they break Iowa law or hurt children.  On Friday, January 23rd, the...

DES MOINES—Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced an arrest for the murder of Christian Balke-Thompson who disappeared in 2020. The Iowa Cold Case unit helped investigate the case. Attorney General Bird launched the statewide unit in July 2024.  Christian Balke-Thompson, 26, of Carroll, Iowa, was last seen in the early morning hours of May 2, 2020.  On the...

DES MOINES—Today, two bills proposed by Attorney General Brenna Bird passed out of subcommittee in the Iowa House of Representatives.  Katie’s Law  Enacted in some form in over 30 states already, this bill requires DNA collection from individuals arrested for felony or aggravated misdemeanor offenses. This bill creates a safe and powerful tool...

DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird announced today she joined a coalition of 20 states to defend churches and other religious institutions from California’s anti-religious targeting during the COVID-19 pandemic.   During the COVID pandemic, California enacted emergency powers banning churchgoers from gathering for religious services while at the same time exempting specific groups such as professional athletes and restaurants from the same restrictions. California also imposed mask mandates on churches while allowing professional football players to play a contact sport unmasked. The anti-Church fines reached millions of dollars.   “The First Amendment...

DES MOINES—In a report issued today, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office has concluded that the November 16, 2025, fatal shooting of Benjamin Harold Sink by Grundy County Sheriff Deputies and an Iowa State Trooper was legally justified.  The Attorney General’s conclusion was based on a review and investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal...

DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird announced she has joined a letter to the EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers in support of a new federal “Waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”) Rule. The letter also suggests changes to the rule to protect the states’ role in environmental protection.   “After fighting and winning against the Biden administration’s illegal EPA power grab, we are grateful to work with an...

DES MOINES—Today, Attorney General Brenna Bird held a press conference in the historic Iowa Supreme Court Chamber at the Iowa State Capitol to announce four of her office’s 2026 legislative priorities. Speakers at the press conference also included:   Mary Ingham, Executive Director Crisis Intervention Services  Jason Sandholt, Marion County...

DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird has joined a letter to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) urging the elimination of “reputation risk” in banking supervisory programs. These banking regulators could use the threat of reputation risk to discourage banks from having...

DES MOINES–Attorney General Brenna Bird today joined a coalition of 50 attorneys general announcing a $149,673,750 settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA for violating state laws prohibiting unfair or deceptive trade practices by marketing, selling, and leasing vehicles equipped with illegal and undisclosed emissions defeat devices.   The states allege that more than...