(Radio Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill that would let Iowa’s top elected officials keep their names confidential on public websites that show the properties they own. Senator Mike Bousselot, of Ankeny, says after the murder of a top Minnesota legislator and her husband in their home, this is common sense.

“Threats of violence to political officials and members of the judiciary have continued to abound,” Bousselot said. Under current law, law enforcement officers as well as judges and prosecutors in state and federal courts are able to get their names redacted from county websites that can be searched to discover their home addresses. The bill would extend that policy to Iowa’s U.S. Senators, U.S. House members, statewide elected officials like the governor and members of the Iowa legislature.

The bill is ready for debate in a Senate committee. It has already won House approval. Representative Aime Wichtendahl of Hiawatha says providing privacy to Iowa’s public officials is important. “Sadly threats of political violence are experienced by members of both political parties at all levels: federal, state and local,” Wichtendahl said, “and that violence is a threat to the very principles of self-government.”

Representative Dan Gosa of Davenport voted for the bill, but he says it should be expanded to cover county supervisors, city council members and school board members.  “During my time on the school board I received numerous death threats. My wife was followed picking our kids up from school,” Gosa said. “…I feel very strongly about this, that we need to protect local elected officials not just ourselves.”