Iowa could soon have a domestic abuse offender registry under a bill (HF 2301) advanced Wednesday by a House subcommittee.
The bill states that an offender would be added to the public list after their second conviction. The registry would include their name, photo, conviction date and counties where they committed abuse.
Chayce Glienke Baltimore, a lobbyist for the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the group is opposing the bill in part because they have privacy concerns for victims.
“Because of the way that we understand that domestic violence operates in intimate partner relationships, by identifying an abuser, and specifically the date of conviction, county of conviction, the fear would be that that's going to ultimately disclose the identity of a victim as well and potentially any children born out of that relationship,” Glienke Baltimore said.
After two convictions, an offender’s name would be on the list for two years. People with more convictions would stay on the list for longer.
The latest from the Iowa Capitol adapted from on-air broadcast reports.