Two Iowa House Democrats including Chris Hall of Sioux City are calling for an investigation into the state’s $26 million Test Iowa program, which has provided drive-through coronavirus testing across the state.
Hall and Representative Ruth Ann Gaines of Des Moines sent a letter to the chair of the House Government Oversight committee asking that Republican to call a hearing to investigate the program when lawmakers resume their session in Des Moines on June 3rd.
Hall told KSCJ News in a May 22nd interview that he had concerns about the program:
OC……….cancelling the contract. :20
He says in the letter that “Iowa taxpayers are on the hook for $26 million dollars, and they deserve to know whether their money is being spent wisely.”
The lawmakers also cite testing totals and lengthy wait times as problems with the program.
There are 10 Test Iowa sites across the state and one Test Iowa clinic.
So far the state has refused to release Test Iowa-specific data about the number of tests conducted and the rate of positive cases, despite being repeatedly asked for that information.
The letter also expresses concern about the contract being awarded without a competitive bid process to an out-of-state company with limited testing experience.
File photo
