Two bills recently signed into law by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds managed to pass both chambers nearly unanimously with support from the Iowa County Attorneys Association, including Carroll County Attorney John Werden. House File (HF) 2250 strengthens penalties for individuals charged with tampering with witnesses, jurors, and reporting parties. Werden says adjustments to this code section were long overdue.
Previously, tampering with a witness or juror was considered an aggravated misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison and $6,250 in fines. However, this law inadvertently incentivized criminals to threaten or bribe their way out of charges with stricter penalties. Under the new legislation, a tampering suspect would be charged at least one degree higher than the underlying offense, removing this unintended loophole. Werden, who has seen the impact of witness tampering firsthand, believes this change is a step in the right direction.
The other bill signed by the governor is HF2570, which creates a professional permit for county attorneys to carry weapons without restriction. Werden says this is a common provision for prosecutors in other states, as attorneys often draw the ire of the most violent people in the population.
Professional permits were previously available to peace officers, correctional officers, security guards, and bank messengers. The new law makes county and assistant county attorneys eligible for such permits. Werden joined Gov. Reynolds at the Iowa Capitol last week for the bill signings.
