Today (Monday), Attorney General Brenna Bird testified in a subcommittee with the Iowa House of Representatives, urging to raise penalties for assaults against law enforcement and first responders. The Iowa Attorney General’s office’s bill HSB 523 was passed out of the subcommittee and will now be submitted to the calendar to be debated on the chamber floor. The bill will raise the current charge from a class “D” felony to a class “C” felony when the assault involves a dangerous weapon or if intended to inflict serious injury. It would also raise penalties for other assaults on law enforcement and first responders, from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor, and set a minimum sentence of 7 days in jail. The bill will also add a penalty to individuals who spit on law enforcement, first responders, and Department of Corrections staff, to receive a minimum sentence of 7 days in a county jail. Bird says, “Our law enforcement and public safety heroes work a tough job to keep us safe. As a prosecutor, I back the blue 100 percent and have made it a top priority to protect our law enforcement officers like they protect us. We are sending the message loud and clear that assault on our officers will not be tolerated. Thank you to the subcommittee for passing our bill. With this law, we will ensure our heroes get the respect they so greatly deserve.”
