The Iowa Senate Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that would allow Iowans to donate a portion of their tax return to a program aimed at preventing child abuse. The measure, which now goes to the House, would create a new checkoff on state tax forms.
Ackworth Democrat Staci Appel is the bill’s sponsor. She says every year, between 2003 to 2006, approximately 14,500 Iowa children were the victims of abuse. Steve Scott, with Prevent Child Abuse Iowa, says the new tax checkoff would provide a big boost to child abuse prevent efforts.
Scott says, based on what’s been raised from other checkoffs, he’s hoping it would result in $70,000 in revenue. "The revenue will go toward a statewide child abuse prevention program that’s been around since 1982 and it will support prevention activities in just about every county in Iowa," Scott said.
Currently, Iowans can assign a portion of their tax return to the DNR’s wildlife preservation efforts, capital improvements to the Iowa State Fairgrounds, statewide beautification projects, a fund to train firefighters and the Iowa Veteran’s Trust Fund. Two of those checkoffs will be removed from Iowa’s tax form next year.