Attorney General Brenna Bird Announces Katie’s Law Passage out of House Judiciary Committee

DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird announced that Katie’s Law, a key bill in her 2026 Legislative Priorities, passed out of the Judiciary committee today in the Iowa House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote.  

Katie’s Law has been enacted in some form in over 30 states and federally. The bill requires DNA collection from individuals arrested for felony or aggravated misdemeanor offenses. This bill creates a safe and powerful tool that allows our law enforcement and our cold case unit to identify subjects, solve crimes more quickly, and prevent repeat offenses.    

“No criminal should ever get away with murder, rape, or any violent crime,” said Attorney General Bird. “We need to give law enforcement the tools they need to investigate and bring violent criminals to justice. That’s why we want Katie’s Law in Iowa — to collect DNA at arrests for felonies and aggravated misdemeanors, so law enforcement can catch violent criminals like Katie Sepich’s killer.”   

Ashley Spence, founder of the DNA Justice Project, a strong proponent of Katie’s Law, met earlier this month with House members to advocate for passage of the bill.  

“On behalf of victims everywhere, I want to thank Attorney General Brenna Bird for championing justice, protection, and real change in Iowa through Katie’s Law,” said Spence. “It breaks my heart that Katie Sepich can’t tell her own story. We were two young women in the prime of our lives—her at 22, me at 19—struck by horrific violence just weeks apart in 2003. Tragically, Katie didn’t survive. She was raped, murdered, her body set on fire, and dumped in a field. The only evidence left was DNA under her fingernails, because she fought so fiercely for her life. If Iowa passes this law, we honor Katie by ensuring no other family endures years of agony while violent offenders slip through the cracks. We can prevent Iowa’s daughters from suffering what I did—or worse, what Katie did.” 

Read the full bill here.  

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For More Information:

Jen Green 

jen.green@ag.iowa.gov