Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird proposed a constitutional amendment to protect children and individuals with disabilities when testifying in court. This came following a recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling that removed the closed-circuit testimony option, which allowed children to testify away from their abusers via video. Iowa is now the only state to not allow this option. Bird expressed concerns that the ruling could lead to fewer prosecutions of crimes against children and make victims too scared to testify. The proposed amendment will be presented to the state legislature when the session begins on January 13. If passed, it will need to go through two sessions of the legislature before going to a general election ballot vote, possibly as early as 2028. Bird emphasized the importance of protecting children in court and bringing criminals to justice, stating that as a mom and prosecutor, she will continue fighting for those vulnerable individuals.
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Brenna Bird introduces proposed amendment to safeguard child witnesses in court rooms
