House Speaker Pat Grassley says “popular policies” the legislature has recently passed are in legal jeopardy because “gender identity” is included in the Iowa Civil Rights Code.
In a written statement, Grassley said House Republicans will give “full consideration” to removing transgender Iowans as a class of people mentioned in the Iowa Civil Rights Act and therefore protected from discrimination in employment, housing, education and credit considerations. Grassley cited a 2019 court ruling that has required taxpayers to pay for hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgeries for Medicaid patients and he said policies that have protected women’s sports and prohibited gender affirming care for minors are at risk of being overturned in court.
The leader of One Iowa, an advocacy group for LGBTQ Iowans, said in a written statement that removing gender identity from the Civil Rights Act will “upend” the lives of transgender Iowans and “legally define them out of existence.”
Republican Representative Austin Harris of Moulton said he’s voted for and “will defend policies” like making sure minors are not having permanent gender reassignment surgeries, but he “will oppose stripping Iowans of their civil rights with every fiber of my being.”
“We’re all God’s children and, to me, this is unnecessary and a cruel step,” Harris said. “…As the first openly gay Republican to ever serve in state government on any level, to my knowledge, I think this is wrong.”
In a written statement, Representative Steven Holt of Denison — the bill’s sponsor — said at least 27 states do not have gender identity specified in their civil rights codes.