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BLUE STATEHOUSE ALERT LIVE ON FEBRUARY 28

It’s that time of year again! Time to see which bills will live or die in the Iowa Legislature. In our case, we’re hoping lots of GOP proposed bills are on the chopping block.

Here’s what is on our GOP legislative watch list: 

TAKING FOOD AWAY FROM KIDS: This bill takes away food from some of Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens, including children and seniors. Upon introduction, it banned families from purchasing items like canned fruits and vegetables, soup, sliced cheese, and even meat produced by Iowa farmers. The bill has several provisions that restrict access to not only food, but also medical services. The bill would kick Iowans off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by implementing an asset limit. That means that if a family is fortunate enough to have two vehicles to get to and from work, one of those vehicles would count against the asset limit. Vehicles are often essential towards maintaining employment, especially in the rural parts of the state. For most, these are temporary forms of assistance while they get back on their feet and taking away access to food or transportation will only hurt Iowa’s kids (HF 3).

TARGETING LGBTQ+ IOWANS:

• Removes gender identity as a protected class from Iowa’s Civil Rights provisions (HF 190).
• Prohibits school staff from affirming a student’s gender identity and preferred pronouns if it’s different from their birth certificate, unless the teacher has written approval from the student’s parent. Many transgender students could be put in danger if a teacher is forced to “out” them, especially if they have an unsafe home environment or could be kicked out of the house (HF 180).
• Restricts school staff from giving instruction of any kind on gender identity and sexual orientation in K-3rd grade classrooms, known in Florida as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill (HF 8).
• Bans LGBTQ+ health care options for trans Iowans (TBA).

RESTRICTING ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM:

• Prevents private insurers from covering out-of-state reproductive healthcare access and telemed coverage for medication abortion (HSB 167).
• Bans abortion pills from being sold or prescribed in the state (HF 146).

BANS TEACHING ABOUT HPV, AIDS & HIV:

• Removes HIV/AIDS as a topic to be taught in Human Growth and Development in Iowa schools (HF 327)
• Prevents conversations about the Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV) vaccines in public schools (HF 187).

ALLOWS GUNS IN SCHOOLS, PRIVATE BUSINESSES, DAYCARES: Known as the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” it would prohibit state and local law enforcement officers from enforcing federal laws, regulations, executive orders and other rules including allowing handguns in schools, daycare parking lots, and private businesses (HSB 137).

PUNISHING PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Requires public school districts to post curriculum and a list of library materials online for parents to view. It could also allow book bans statewide instead of district wide (SSB 1145).