A bill with close ties to Washington County has passed through both chambers of the Iowa Legislature. Senate File 84, which passed in the House with a 96-0 vote in early April, passed unanimously through the Senate last Monday as well.

The bill, which was initially crafted by former Washington County Attorney, John Gish, increases the penalties for acts relating to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Gish tells KCII, “As a prosecutor, I knew that in Iowa, state laws with respect to child pornography were an absolute joke. So I prepared this bill along with Assistant Washington County Attorney, Shane McChurch. We put the bill together to address Iowa’s shortcomings by stiffening criminal penalties for anybody that possesses, produces, or disseminates child pornography.” 

The bill, along with a companion bill was then drafted by State Senator, Dawn Driscoll, and House Representative, Heather Hora. Driscoll, who sponsored the bill, was proud to see it pass so unanimously, and acknowledged the rarity of a first-year bill moving through the legislative process with such momentum. “Personally I’ve only been in the Senate for 3 years, and this is the first bill that I’m aware of that has ever made it through within the first year. It really was remarkable.”

Once signed into law, the effective date for Senate File 84 is July 1 of this year. To read the bill in its entirety, click here.