Democratic senator says bill passed by Republicans would 'neuter the auditor'
By Daniel Kim
DES MOINES, Iowa — On Monday afternoon, Iowa Senate Republicans advanced a bill out of the chamber that would allow state departments to have audits performed by independent certified public accountants.
The vote to pass the bill was 33-16, straight down party lines. The bill would allow for private auditing firms to conduct yearly audits for state departments, unlike having the current state auditor conduct it.
Senate Republicans argued that by allowing for state departments and agencies to be audited by private firms, this would allow for more transparency.
“The auditor shall annually and more often, if deemed necessary, audit the state and all state officers and departments,” said State Senator Mike Bousselot, (R) District 21 from Ankeny while he was reading a line from the bill. “You see, any audit that gets conducted by a private CPA firm under the Iowa code says it can be checked at any time by that same auditor.”
Senate Republicans said that even though departments can be audited privately, it can be audited by the state auditor if the person who holds office chooses to do so.
Senate Democrats said that this is a blatant attempt to limit the power and authority of the only statewide-elected Democrat official, State Auditor Rob Sand.
“And then you had the audacity to come back into this chamber and try to neuter the auditor,” said State Senator Tony Bisignano, (D) District 15 from Des Moines. ” So the people of Iowa cannot see the daylight on the budgets and the expenses that’s happening in this state. And believe me, the auditor’s caught a number of things of misappropriation by the governor.”
The bill needs to pass through the Iowa House before it is able to be signed into law.
