VIDEO | Stop the “Eye of Sauron”: Rep. Joshua Penner fights to shield local budgets from state demands (Amendment 2207 to Senate Bill 5925)

March 6, 2026

Rep. Joshua Penner, R-Orting, calls for a yes vote on Amendment 2207 to ensure that cities, counties, and tribal governments are not subjected to the massive expansion of state investigative power in Senate Bill 5925. The underlying legislation gives the Attorney General’s Office the authority to issue civil investigative demands for documents and testimony, a power Penner warns could be wielded by any of the office’s 800 attorneys without enough requirement for collaboration.

Referring to the state’s aggressive stance toward local municipalities as the “Eye of Sauron,” Penner argues that without this amendment, local governments will be forced into lopsided legal battles they cannot afford.

The amendment specifically seeks to exempt local subdivisions and federally recognized Indian tribes from being served with these demands. Penner shares his perspective as a former mayor, noting that some cities have already faced thousands of billable hours and multi-million dollar deficits due to state legal pressure. He contends that forcing taxpayers to fund both the state’s prosecution and the local government’s defense is a waste of public resources.