February 25, 2022

Dear Friends,

It was a hard week without a doubt. The (anti) transgender athlete legislation passed the House on Monday but not without a valiant fight by House Democrats. In the end, all House Democrats and one lone Republican (Rep. Michael Bergan) voted no to discrimination of transgender girls who just want to play sports – just like any other girl.

We have our work cut out for us in the coming week(s). And we need your voice. There is a long list of legislation to work against. Our two priorities remain the (anti) transgender athlete legislation and the governor’s voucher bill. See below in the TAKE ACTION section to understand how you can make a difference.

A note of thanks. Thank you to all our sponsors and donors for the Doing Justice: Challenging Extremism Together Action Fund Celebration and to everyone who attended virtually. We know you understand the importance of this work and we are grateful for your support!

Thank you, again, to Jackie Norris, who co-hosted with me and all our guests: Senator Zach Wahls, Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, Rep. Lindsay James, Jean Swenson, Mary Jane Cobb, Rev. Rob Johnson, and Matt Sinovic. What an amazing group of leaders and friends!

If you missed the event, you can watch the recording on our website, Facebook, or YouTube.

Your voice matters every day in challenging the extremism we are seeing at the Statehouse. Thank you for using your voice and for all you do to make Iowa a better place for all who call Iowa home!

With appreciation,

Connie Ryan

she/her/hers

Executive Director

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa & Action Fund

TAKE ACTION

The issues or actions highlighted are of high priority for the next week of the Legislative Session. Will you take action today?

PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN

HF2416 (Against) A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district, accredited nonpublic school, regent institution, community college, and certain other institution of higher education athletics based on sex, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HF2309)

SF2342 (Against) A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, community college, and regent institution athletics based on sex. (Formerly SSB3146)

TAKE ACTION ON HF2416/SF2342

HF2416 passed the House. HF2416/SF2342 are eligible for debate in the Senate. We encourage you to contact your state senator this weekend or early next week.

TALKING POINTS ON HF2416/SF2342

HF2416/SF2342 will harm transgender children. All children, including transgender children, should be allowed to play the sport they love based on their authentic self and identity. Transgender girls just want to play sports – just like any other girl.

We know that transgender children are at risk. Being part of sports that respect their identity brings a sense of belonging, accomplishment, and builds confidence.

Treating all children, including transgender children, with the respect and dignity they deserve will only serve to help every child learn, grow, and thrive. Iowans do not want extreme legislation that harms children. We are better than this.

The bills place school districts in the precarious situation of choosing between state and federal laws. There will undoubtedly be lawsuits to protect the rights of transgender children that will be very costly for local school districts.

The legislation also includes community colleges and state universities. This impacts schools and athletes at the collegiate level and would violate the NCAA rules. The NCAA has been very clear they will only hold events in states that do not have laws discriminating against transgender athletes. This would be a blow to the state in being prohibited from hosting NCAA college championships in any sport and have an economic impact on the state and communities.

PUBLIC MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS!

SF2349/HSB672 (Against) A bill for an act relating to education, including establishing a student first scholarship program and a student first enrollment supplement fund, requiring the boards of directors of school districts to publish certain specified information, modifying provisions related to required social studies instruction, open enrollment, teacher librarian endorsements, competent private instruction, and special education, making appropriations, providing penalties, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB3080)

TAKE ACTION ON SF2349 and HSB672

The governor’s voucher bill is eligible for debate in the Senate. The House bill was referred to the House Appropriations Committee, so it can continue to move forward. We know Senate Republicans are working on an amendment.

We encourage you to contact your senator and representative this weekend and coming week. Let them know you are opposed to public money being used to benefit private choices. Public money should support public schools.

TALKING POINTS on SF2349 and HSB672

• PUBLIC MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS!
• #NoVouchersIA
• For over a decade, lawmakers have been shortchanging almost half a million public school children every year. They have not kept up with inflation and continue to underfund the education of our public school children.
• Public money should be used for the education of Iowa’s children who attend public schools, not diverted to fund vouchers for a few, select students at private, mostly religious, schools.
• Rather than giving away public money to private schools, the governor and legislators need to focus on the 92% of Iowa’s public school children and fully fund their education.
• Iowans say Yes to Public Education — available for all kids — and NO to Vouchers!

PLEASE SHARE OUR GRAPHIC ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

MORAL MONDAYS IOWA

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28

12:00 - 12:45 PM

Zoom and Facebook livestream

Punching down on the LGBTQ+ community

Representative Liz Bennett (Cedar Rapids)

Keenan Crow, One Iowa

Attacking and demeaning some of Iowa’s most vulnerable children – transgender children, particularly girls – sending the message they are not worthy. Banning books in schools focused on the life stories from the LGBTQ+ community (and other communities as well) and naming those life experiences as obscene. Religious exemptions that would clearly dismantle civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community based on another person’s religious beliefs. It has been a bad legislative session in so many ways and the attacks on the LGBTQ+ community are high on the list.

There is, however, one bright spot in the whole mix. Join us for Moral Mondays IOWA as we discuss this session’s legislation negatively impacting the LGBTQ+ community, and the one glimmer of hope.

Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Or, watch on Facebook at Moral Mondays IOWA or Interfaith Alliance of Iowa.

List of sponsoring organizations:

Please note: The listing of an organizational name does not infer support or opposition to any particular issue or bill but is simply an indicator of the organization’s support of the broader mission of the Moral Mondays IOWA coalition.

LEGISLATION WATCH

Below are some of the bills on which the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund is registered and our position on the legislation. We encourage you to contact your legislator on any of the legislation.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

SF2349/HSB672 (Against) A bill for an act relating to education, including establishing a student first scholarship program and a student first enrollment supplement fund, requiring the boards of directors of school districts to publish certain specified information, modifying provisions related to required social studies instruction, open enrollment, teacher librarian endorsements, competent private instruction, and special education, making appropriations, providing penalties, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB3080)

See TAKE ACTION above for details.

SF2205 (Against) A bill for an act relating to the rights of students enrolled in school districts or charter schools and the rights of parents and guardians of those students. (Formerly SSB3079)

SF2205 is eligible to be debated in the Senate. Please contact your senator and ask them to oppose SF2205 — or amend it to address the concerns below.

SF2205 is the Parents Bill of Rights. The bill does very little beyond what parents already have the right and ability to access in terms of curriculum, books, resources, and other information about their own child as well as practices already in place to challenge books, etc. We are concerned about the privacy of students who share confidential information with teachers, school counselors, social workers, and staff. If a record is kept (e.g. notes of a school counselor), they would be subject to disclosure if the parent requests all school records.

SF2364 (Against) A bill for an act relating to the dissemination of certain specified materials, including the prohibition of certain specified materials in schools and school libraries, civil actions to determine obscenity, and providing penalties. (Formerly SF2198)

The bill is eligible for debate in the Senate. Please contact your senator and tell them to oppose the legislation.

Iowa law already prohibits showing or distributing obscene materials to minors. The bill does nothing to keep children healthy and safe. It specifically targets teachers, administrators, and librarians. This is an outrageous and offensive bill designed to score political points at the expense of public school educators who are dedicated to the education of all children.

HF2499 (Against) A bill for an act relating to education, including requiring the boards of directors of school districts to publish certain specified information and modifying provisions related to required social studies instruction. (Formerly HSB706)

HF2499 is eligible for debate in the House. Contact your representative and tell them to vote no on this bill that is an extreme overreach by the legislature and will overly burden school districts large and small.

This bill requires the school district to publish on its website a syllabus or written summary of what material will be taught in each class in the school district, how each class meets or exceeds the educational standards, a listing of all educational materials used in each class, the procedures for the review and approval of all educational materials used, a list of all books in school libraries, and a flowchart developed by the department of education showing the procedures for parents to request the removal of a book in the school library. State aid payments shall be reduced in an amount determined by the department of education for each day the school district is found to have intentionally violated the requirements.

The bill requires the board of directors of a school district to adopt protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration, and removal of materials from libraries operated by the school district. It establishes what the protocols shall require.

Current law requires, in grades 9 through 12, five units of social studies, one-half unit of which is to consist of instruction in United States government. The bill requires that this one-half unit of United States government shall include an assessment of the student’s knowledge of United States government and civics. The most recent version of the United States citizenship test shall be used as the assessment. The school district or non-public school may modify the civics test for a student who has an individualized education program. All students must answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly on the civics test as a condition of graduation. The student may retake the civics test.

HF2418 (Against) A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction in public schools and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF2099)

The bill is eligible for debate in the House. Contact your representative and tell them to oppose HF2418.

HF2418 requires a number of specific social studies units a public school student must pass and also lists a number of required curriculum items that must be included. An administrative process is already in place through the Department of Education to address curriculum requirements, which is where the decision making should be – not by legislative dictate. Additionally, there is no mention of non-public schools for the same requirements.

LGBTQ+ RIGHTS

HF2416 (Against) A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district and accredited nonpublic school athletics based on sex. (Formerly HF2309)

SF2342 (Against) A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, community college, and regent institution athletics based on sex. (Formerly SSB3146)

See TAKE ACTION above for details.

HF2437 (Undecided) An act prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion by governmental entities, officials, and employees. (Formerly HSB677)

SF2284 (Against) A bill for an act prohibiting the burdening of a person’s free exercise of religion. (Formerly SF2170)

HF2437 is eligible for debate in the House. SF2284 is eligible for debate in the Senate. Please contact your senator and representative and ask them to support HF2437 and to oppose SF2284. HF2437 does not include religious exemption language that would undermine the Iowa Civil Rights Act and provide for discrimination in Iowa.

HF310 (For) A bill for an act relating to the defense of justification for certain violent crimes.

HF310 passed the House in 2021. It could still be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The legislation would prohibit a person utilizing discovery of, knowledge of, or disclosure of the victim’s sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity as a defense for a violent crime.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE

HF2389 (Against) An act relating to medication abortions including required informed consent and the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs to patients within the state, and providing penalties. (Formerly HF2119)

HF2389 is eligible for debate in the House. The bill is one more effort limiting access to the right to a safe and legal abortion. It requires doctors to post signs and give misinformation to patients regarding medication abortion drugs. Please contact your representative and ask them to oppose.

SF2354 (Against) An act relating to pregnancy support including by creating the more options for maternal support program and expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage and making appropriations. (Formerly SSB3145)

SF2354 (SSB3145) was approved by the Senate Human Resources Committee and will now be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The bill encourages assistance by the state for pregnant Iowans who need support, which is a good thing. Iowa’s maternal health statistics are alarming, and the state has a responsibility to assist in healthy pregnancies and post-partum aftercare.

However, we have two primary concerns. The bill prohibits the use of non-profits who also provide abortions. Additionally, the bill does not explicitly prohibit the non-profit service providers from requiring those receiving services to participate in religious activities nor from discriminating against consumers or employees based on religious beliefs. Tax dollars should not be used to further the ministry of a religious non-profit. We are encouraging an amendment to the bill to address both issues.

GUN SAFETY

 HF2476/SF2317 (Against) An act relating to the conveyance guns in or on a vehicle on a public highway. (Formerly HSB646/SF2145)

HF2476/SF2317 are eligible for debate in the House and Senate. Please urge your representative and senator to oppose the legislation.

The bills repeal a section of code and would allow a person to have or carry a gun in a vehicle on a public highway without taking it apart or having it in a fully secure case as well as unloaded. Although described as only impacting hunters (it is in a section of code regarding hunting), we remain concerned about the implications and the message of the legislation.

SF2250 (Against) A bill for an act relating to the carrying, transportation, or possession of firearms on real property comprising a person’s place of employment. (Formerly SF2143)

SF2250 is eligible for debate in the Senate. Please contact your senator and urge them to vote no on SF2250.

This bill states an employer shall not prohibit an employee from having a firearm and ammunition in their vehicle parked on the employer’s property so long as the firearm and ammunition are out of sight and locked in the vehicle. The Action Fund believes employers have the right to prohibit firearms and ammunition on their property, including parking lots. 

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

SF339 (Against) A bill for an act relating to the employment of unauthorized aliens and providing penalties. (Formerly SF84)

The bill is eligible for debate in the Senate.  Please contact your senator and tell them to oppose SF339.

This bill authorizes the county attorney, local law enforcement, or a member of the public to file a complaint with Workforce Development if they believe a person is working for an employer and does not have legal immigration status. The bill also requires employers to use the federal e-verify system when hiring employees, a system that has been proven to be fraught with problems and issuing inaccurate information about potential employees. It is unnecessary and allows for the potential of discrimination of Iowa’s immigrant community, particularly as it could be misused by some members of the public.

JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE

HF2481 (Undecided) A bill for an act relating to judicial selection, including the membership of the district judicial nominating commissions, nominees to the court of appeals, and the appointments, resignations, and residency requirements of district judges, district associate judges, associate juvenile judges, and associate probate judges. (Formerly HSB636)

The bill was amended with compromise language and passed out of House Judiciary Committee. It is eligible for consideration in the House.

The compromise language, although not perfect, addresses several of our concerns including leaving judges on the district nominating commissions. We are concerned about the change to require five nominees be sent to the governor from the state nominating commission for the Court of Appeals. We are working to amend the language to “up to five” nominees.

SF2132 (Against) A bill for an act relating to the membership of the district judicial nominating commissions. (Formerly SF2014)

SF2132 is eligible for consideration by the Senate. Please contact your state senator and tell them to oppose SF2132 and to follow the lead of the House in the compromise language provided in HF2481.

EMPOWERING IOWANS TO USE YOUR VOICE

Your state representative and senator need to know your opinion on the issues, and that you are paying attention to their votes.

Call, email, or write to them on the issues we outline each week in the Legislative Update. Build a relationship with elected officials ahead of time so they know you are one of their constituents and you care about these important matters.

If legislative forums held by your legislator are in-person, we caution you to use your judgment on whether to attend based on your situation and whether you feel safe. Encourage your lawmakers to hold virtual or hybrid forums so all their constituents can participate and have their voices heard.

Find your state senator or representative and other elected officials:

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find

House Switchboard:  515.281.3221

Senate Switchboard:  515.281.3371

Legislative Emails:  FIRSTname.LASTname@legis.iowa.gov

Iowa Capitol mailing address:  

State Capitol Building, 1007 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Thank you so much for your willingness to stand up and use your voice. Together we can and will make a difference!