We made it to Friday.

But it feels like we made it to Friday in 1950. Iowa Republicans, after a week of national news coverage of their many terrible, harmful bills, have continued their attacks against everyday Iowans in favor of corporate greed.

Luckily, our team is connected with amazing grassroots advocates like you, and we will stand up together against Reynolds’ divisive agenda.

We are holding our third Iowa Legislative Website Training next Tuesday, March 8th, at 12pm to help equip you with the knowledge and skills to help fight against the Iowa Republican’s harmful agenda. You can pre-register for this training at the link here: Legislative Website Training Pt. 3

So, without any more delay, let’s take a look at today’s top news:

1. STATE, NATIONAL GROUPS OPPOSE IOWA’S TRANSPHOBIA: Yesterday, despite opposition from numerous local, state, and national organizations and businesses, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law that would bench trans athletes in the state of Iowa and allow for state-sanctioned bullying against trans students.

Iowa used to be a leader in the United States for civil rights. From the University of Iowa being the first public university to acknowledge an LGBTQ+ student organization to being one of the first states in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage, our state has consistently been on the right side of history and helped move civil rights across the country.

Now, Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republican lawmakers want to undo nearly 150 years of progress by attacking marginalized children across our state. Our team stands unequivocally against transphobia, and will continue to support organizations like One Iowa and Iowa Safe Schools to keep up the fight for an inclusive Iowa.

Stand with us and share this message of hope for Iowa’s transgender athletes.

Click to tweet: Regardless of what Iowa’s bullies, @IAGovernor and Republican legislators, say, Iowa is a home for ALL. I support our transgender students and athletes.

Once you’ve shared that message, take a look at the other stories we’re watching today:

2. KIM’S TRANSPHOBIA WILL COST IOWA TAXPAYERS: Beyond the detrimental harm that the Republican ban on trans athlete will have on the mental health of already marginalized students, this bill will also open Iowa up to a host of lawsuits against this discriminatory practice. National organizations like the NCAA have pulled out of states like North Carolina for their transphobic laws, and Iowa may lose the national basketball tournaments University of Iowa and Iowa State University were set to host next month. Republicans are moving our state backwards, and it’s going to cost us.

3. REYNOLDS IS STILL THE LEAST TRANSPARENT GOVERNOR: After already having been named one of the least transparent administrations in Iowa history, Governor Kim Reynolds is still fighting to have lawsuits for illegally ignoring open record requests from three different media organizations in Iowa dismissed. We rely on our free press to hold our leaders accountable, but Iowa Republicans have made it clear that they don’t want that. Earlier this year, the Iowa Senate rebuked a century-long tradition of allowing reporters on the chamber floor, and instead chose to bar them from direct access to Iowa’s elected officials. We need leaders who are fighting for Iowans always, not hiding behind bureaucracy to push their agenda.

4. BONUSES FOR EVERYONE… JUST NOT YOU: Corporate Kim Reynolds was proud to announce a $1,000 bonus to Iowa’s education professionals in her Condition of the State address. What she didn’t mention? That money was made possible by American Rescue Plan dollars, and many school workers aren’t eligible to receive the bonus. People working in positions like school nurses, librarians, bus drivers, and more, are cut out of Reynolds’ band-aid solution to underfunding public schools for over a decade. We urge Reynolds and her Republican allies to properly fund Iowa’s public school system and pay our professionals what they are worth.

5. BIDEN’S ECONOMY IS BOOMING: Fortunately, we get to end our High Five today on a happy note, thanks once again to President Biden. February 2022 saw nearly 678,000 new jobs added to the U.S. Economy, up a quarter-million from earlier projections. Thank you President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Democratic Members of Congress like Cindy Axne for always putting Iowan families and workers ahead of corporate greed.

Want to hear more from our team? You can go to our online news blog, Potluck, to hear from Iowans and leaders around the state. You can also hear more from our team on our podcast, “What a Week,” where we break down each week’s top news stories and speak with leaders from around Iowa about issues you care about.

Want to help progressive messaging and policy in the state of Iowa? Sign up at ProgressIowa.org to volunteer, donate, and hear more from our team!

Thanks for reading, and we’ll get back with you Monday for another Hive Five!

– The Progress Iowa Team