(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is asking legislators to prepare to use state tax dollars to support crime victim services that have received federal grants in the past. “All of our victim assistance agencies throughout the whole state of Iowa depend on that funding to keep their doors open,” Bird said. “…Last year there was a cut of $5.4 million ,which was devastating.” Governor Reynolds transferred five-point-four MILLION dollars out of Iowa’s allotment of federal pandemic relief money to plug that hole.

“That is one time money. It’s not available for a future year, but this is something that we’re carefully monitoring,” Bird said. “And at least in this point in time it appears a cut of that magnitude is still likely.” Bird says she’s discussed this dilemma with Iowa’s congressional delegation and the bipartisan group of state attorneys general are lobbying congress and the U-S Department of Justice on the issue. Bird plans to meet with U-S Attorney General Pam Bondi to make the case that victim service organizations need these federal dollars. The Crime Victim Assistance Division in the Iowa Attorney General’s office is funded with the fines and fees Iowa courts order criminals to pay. The agency provides direct assistance to cover a crime victim’s out-of-pocket expenses.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird presented her budget requests to a House subcommittee this week. (RI file photo)

“If a woman is a victim of domestic violence…we don’t want her to not leave her abuser because she’s worried about money,” Bird says. “…If, for example, a domestic abuse victim…calls 911 and her boyfriend destroys her cell phone and then her boyfriend throws a rock through the windshield of her car so that she can’t get to work as easily, those types of things we can provide reimbursement.”

Bird is asking the state legislature for an additional one MILLION dollars to provide counseling and other services to victims of human trafficking. Bird says people who’ve been subjected to forced labor need more long term support.