State Politics
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Instead of fixing real issues, Iowa Republicans push 10 bills to discriminate against LGBTQ Iowans
We are less than a month into the 2024 Iowa Legislative Session and the Republicans in charge of Iowa’s state government have been busy— and by busy, we mean coming up with new ways to legally discriminate against LGBTQ Iowans. As Iowans struggle with stagnant wages, budget shortfalls in public schools, worsened water quality, higher…
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All the anti-abortion bills introduced by Iowa Republicans this year
Despite abortion being a losing issue for Republicans across the country, Iowa Republicans in the statehouse have decided to double down on pushing anti-abortion policies. Last year, several anti-abortion bills were introduced, and a July special session led to the implementation of a near-total abortion ban. That ban is currently blocked by a temporary injunction…
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Iowa bill would let public schools hire unlicensed chaplains… but unintended consequences may arise
Iowa Republican lawmakers advanced a bill out of a subcommittee Tuesday that would allow public school districts to hire chaplains to “provide support, services, and programs for students.” But while the lawmakers heavily implied this was about Christian services coming into public schools, others pointed out that it could just as easily open the door…
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New Iowa bill places extreme restrictions on abortion pill access, adds scare tactics and felony convictions
A new bill introduced by Iowa House Republicans would severely limit access to abortion medications through a 19-step process—including making them illegal to receive in the mail—and create an electronic record of who received the pill and the medical personnel involved in the process. HF 2122 was introduced by Republican representatives Tom Determann of Clinton,…
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Iowan speaks out against anti-abortion centers: ‘I thought it was legitimate’
For two hours, staff at an anti-abortion center told Mica Chase—then 19 years old—they would go to Hell for having an abortion. The staff also said the abortion could kill them (abortion is incredibly safe) and that the staff would do anything to help Chase keep a pregnancy they had already decided they weren’t ready…
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Iowa lawmaker wants looser requirements for fake pregnancy resource clinics
Rep. Jon Dunwell (R-Newton) introduced a bill Wednesday to loosen requirements for the More Options for Maternal Support (MOMS) program, which would funnel $2 million from Iowa taxpayers to anti-abortion centers in the state. For two years, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has failed to find a party to manage the…
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Sand: Let’s work together to hold government accountable
As Iowa’s taxpayer watchdog, I hear from Iowans just about every day with concerns about state and local government. Oftentimes, there are steps my office can take to address those concerns; other times, the next step is as simple as directing folks to the best channel in state government to address their question. Sometimes, it’s…
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‘Kids need to eat:’ Iowans demand state participate in free-food program
Mandi Remington of Iowa City knows firsthand what it’s like to struggle to feed your kids and how the stability of two incomes can keep a person from leaving an abusive relationship. “Reflecting on my experience as a domestic violence survivor, I can’t help but wonder if I would have left sooner had I been…
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Iowa Republicans want to ban local bans on conversion therapy
Iowa Republicans are continuing their attack on Home Rule in the Legislature this year, this time going after bans on widely discredited conversion therapy for minors. Iowa Sen. Sandy Salmon—a Republican from Janesville who represents Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw and most of Floyd counties—introduced Senate File 2037 last week. It passed out of a Senate subcommittee…
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Kim Reynolds ‘diminished’ after trying to beat Trump following years of defending him to Iowa
After years of enabling Donald Trump and his abhorrent behavior, some of Iowa’s most prominent Republicans—including Gov. Kim Reynolds—staked their reputations and clout on other caucus candidates in an attempt to move on from the former president. On Monday, they learned how deeply they failed to convince the base of their party to move on.…
