THE HILL – Iowa’s Republican-led Legislature voted Thursday to remove gender identity as a protected class from the state’s civil rights code, sending the first-of-its-kind measure to Gov. Kim Reynolds (R).
The bill, first introduced last week, sped through the legislative process despite widespread opposition from Democrats and LGBTQ rights advocates who flooded the statehouse in Des Moines to protest its passage.
More than 2,500 people entered the building Thursday, the Des Moines Register reported, citing numbers from state Capitol security, more than triple the roughly 600 on an average day.
Demonstrators filled the Iowa Capitol hallways Thursday, holding transgender and LGBTQ pride flags and chanting, “No hate in our state!”
Senate File 583 removes gender identity as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act, the decades-old law protecting Iowans from discrimination in employment, housing, education and public accommodations.
“TDemocrats do not want to talk about the reality of the erasing of women as a result of gender identity based on feelings being elevated to a protected class status in the Iowa code.” – State Rep. Steven Holt
State lawmakers added protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in 2007 when Democrats controlled both chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s office.
The state Senate passed the measure Thursday in a 33-15 vote along party lines. Later, Iowa’s House voted 60-35 to approve the bill.
The gallery erupted in chants of “who’s next?” following the Senate vote. Boos broke out after the House vote.
Iowa Republicans, who over the past three years have passed legislation to ban transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming care, restrooms, locker rooms and school sports teams that match their gender identity, argued this week that the measure was necessary to enforce those laws and protect women and children.
“There’s been a lot of false hyperbole on the floor of this chamber today,” said state Rep. Steven Holt …
