The Iowa Legislature has passed a constitutional amendment backed by Attorney General Brenna Bird aimed at protecting child victims in courtrooms. The proposal, which cleared both legislative chambers on Thursday, responds to a July 2024 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that removed decades-old protections for children testifying against their abusers. Iowa is currently the only state in the nation that does not allow child victims to testify remotely or from a separate room. Bird says, “Children shouldn’t be forced to testify arm’s length from the abusers who beat or molested them, and many kids can’t. It’s hard enough for kids to talk to groups of people about good things that happen to them, let alone bad ones. And as a prosecutor, I know that restoring these protections is critical in preventing kids from getting too scared to testify, cases from getting dropped, and abusers from walking free. I am grateful to the Iowa legislature for passing this amendment to ensure kids are protected and abusers are brought to justice.” The proposed amendment still has a long path ahead to become law. It must also be approved in a second legislative session following the 2026 election before appearing on the ballot for statewide voter approval. Bird praised lawmakers for their bipartisan support and emphasized the amendment’s importance in ensuring child victims receive justice without being traumatized in court.
