Iowa auditor says new law will restrict his office’s access to information

By HANNAH FINGERHUT
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s auditor may face new challenges in tracking taxpayer dollars after a new law takes effect Saturday that allows state agencies to deny his office access to information. State Auditor Rob Sand, the single Democrat in statewide office, has described the law as a politically motivated attack on accountability. Going forward, a state agency is not to provide the state auditor’s office access to confidential information not deemed necessary to the auditor’s responsibilities. Republican lawmakers who support the law say the changes will protect Iowans’ privacy and that it should not effect Sand’s work. But it also could mean agencies more often withhold information from Sand’s office.