Current:Home > MarketsIowa attorney general not finished with audit that’s holding up contraception money for rape victims -AssetTrainer
Iowa attorney general not finished with audit that’s holding up contraception money for rape victims
View
Date:2025-04-17 17:07:42
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa attorney general’s office said it is still working on an audit of its victim services that has held up emergency contraception funding for victims of sexual assault despite having a completed draft in hand.
Attorney General Brenna Bird, a Republican, paused the funding while awaiting the results of the audit to decide whether to continue those payments. Her office said the audit, which Bird announced when she took office 14 months ago, is in its “final stages” and a report would be released soon.
The policy under her Democratic predecessor, Tom Miller, had been to partially cover the cost of contraception for sexual assault victims. In rare cases, the cost of abortion for sexual assault victims was also covered, Miller’s victim assistance division director, Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, told the Des Moines Register last year.
“As a part of her top-down, bottom-up audit of victim assistance, Attorney General Bird is carefully evaluating whether this is an appropriate use of public funds,” said Alyssa Brouillet, Bird’s communications director. “Until that review is complete, payment of these pending claims will be delayed.”
The current status of the audit was first reported by the Register, which filed an open records request in October. After five months, Bird’s office completed the records request but declined to release the document to the Register, citing a section of Iowa Code excluding preliminary documents from public records law.
Federal and state law requires medical examination costs for victims of sexual assault are covered to ensure forensic evidence is collected readily and properly. In Iowa, costs are covered by the attorney general office’s crime victim compensation program, which is funded by state and federal criminal fines and penalties.
Materials from Miller’s administration show the costs for victims’ prescriptions for oral contraceptives and the Plan-B morning-after pill, as well as for the prevention or treatment of sexually transmitted infections, were reimbursed at 75%.
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa said in a statement that the audit is being used to justify the termination of payments.
“It’s absolutely deplorable that sexual assault survivors in Iowa have gone more than a year without state-covered emergency contraceptives — all because of politics,” said Mazie Stilwell, director of public affairs.
Bird campaigned to replace the 10-term Miller highlighting her opposition to abortion and her commitment to defending Iowa’s restrictive abortion law, which she will do again during oral arguments before the state Supreme Court in April. The law, currently on hold, would ban most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy if it is upheld.
Bird’s office said the crime victim compensation fund is being used to cover costs of sexual assault examinations, as well as rape kits and STI tests.
veryGood! (6279)
Related
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- Trader Joe's raises banana price for the first time in more than two decades
- New concussion guidelines could get athletes back to exercise, school earlier
- Sean Diddy Combs' LA and Miami homes raided by law enforcement, officials say
- California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- Court tosses Republican Pennsylvania lawmakers’ challenge of state, federal voter access actions
- North Carolina elections board finalizes results from primary marked by new voter ID rules
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to announce his VP pick for his independent White House bid
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- DJT had a good first day: Trump's Truth Social media stock price saw rapid rise
Ranking
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Katie Maloney Accused of Having Sex With This Vanderpump Rules Alum
- Elle Fanning Debuts Her Most Dramatic Hair Transformation Yet
- Debunked: Aldi's bacon is not grown in a lab despite conspiracies on social media
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Is the April 2024 eclipse safe for pets? Why experts want you to leave them at home.
- Brittany Snow Details “Completely” Shocking Divorce From Tyler Stanaland
- 2 brothers attacked by mountain lion in California 'driven by nature', family says
Recommendation
The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
Fired Jaguars Jumbotron operator sentenced to 220 years for child sex abuse
Illinois helps schools weather critical teaching shortage, but steps remain, study says
Jhené Aiko announces 2024 tour: How to get tickets to Magic Hour Tour
Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
Missouri attorney general is accused of racial bias for pinning a student fight on diversity program
EU investigating Apple, Google and Meta's suspected violations of new Digital Markets Act
2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition brings finality to V-8-powered Wrangler