There are two new action alerts with sample messages to lawmakers posted in the ICC Action Center. Please send a message today:
Support preschool options and educational flexibility
Iowa’s Catholic schools are an important education option for families, but they face unique hurdles regarding administrative flexibility. SF 2425/HF 2713, the education “omnibus” bills, are a step forward in leveling the playing field. Among other provisions, these bills ensure that school districts cannot unfairly block community providers from participating in the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program. They also create a fall sign-up period to receive an Education Savings Account for the second semester for people who move into the state in the summer.
Support age verification before visiting adult websites
The Iowa Senate is considering HF 864, which would require an “adult” website to use reasonable age verification to verify that an individual attempting to access obscene material is not a minor. From a religious perspective, the Church is opposed to obscene material because it does grave injury to the human dignity of its participants. This policy would put more of the obligation to protect children on the provider.
Last week at the Statehouse
The final legislative “funnel” deadline has passed. Bills must have passed a chamber and then a committee in the other chamber to stay alive for the session. The deadline doesn’t apply to Appropriations or Ways and Means bills. Some pieces of legislation supported by the ICC are still eligible for consideration following the deadline:
- For example, HF 571, the “Med Act,” is on today’s debate calendar in the House. It provides additional conscience protections for medical professionals. If it passes it goes to the governor.
- SF 473 passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. It protects prospective foster care providers and adoptive parents from being required to affirm any government policy regarding sexual orientation or gender identity that conflicts with the parent’s sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.
- HF 2557, cleared by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would protect a parent’s right to raise their child according to the child’s biological sex. In more than one state, a child has been removed from their parents’ home because the parent would not agree to “transition” the child.
- HF 2696 also passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. It would remove records of some convictions of crimes committed by people who have been trafficked. The proposal recognizes that victims were subject to coercion and abuse when in captivity. Removing these records should make it easier for victims to get a job or housing.
- The House Education Committee advanced one of our priority bills, SF 2231. It requires school districts to allow private community providers to participate in the state preschool program. The same idea is also in the two education omnibus bills, although obviously it would be taken out of those bills if the House gets SF 2231 to the governor first.
HF 2694 passed the House and the Senate State Government Committee. It would prohibit the government from closing churches during an emergency, which the ICC supports. An amendment added to the bill would not allow the governor to change election dates, require people to receive a vaccination, and also establishes a continuing appropriation for the budget if the Legislature fails to pass a budget by July 1.
Bills to create a tax credit for donations to maternity homes, HF 2323 and SF 2279, are still moving through the process.
Some bills opposed by the ICC continued to advance:
- The Senate Judiciary Committee cleared HF 2542. It would require certain habitual offenders to serve a minimum sentence of at least 20 years in prison. Some people need to be locked up but requiring mandatory sentences will not allow judges to consider individual circumstances. Because of the financial cost we still think there will be major changes to the bill if it continues move forward.
- HF 2711, which repeals state affirmative action programs and anti-bias training requirements for law enforcement, also passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Local Government Committee voted out HF 2296, which prohibits local communities from offering an ID to their residents. We have seen no evidence that such IDs harm public safety or make it easier for people who aren’t citizens to vote.
The ICC has been monitoring SF 2218, which passed the Senate unanimously in February but was passed by the House last week with significant changes. The original language required the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to have new and renewing teachers to prove their legal authorization to work. The House last week added several proposals to the bill on citizenship verification and licensing in a variety of occupations as well as a presumption against bail for additional classes of people.
Unfortunately, HF 2563 was not debated by either chamber before the deadline. It would prohibit “black market” abortion drugs being sent to Iowans without a doctor’s involvement. While we don’t support abortion, we want to limit the harm of abortion. A study published last month at JAMA Health Forum affirms that minor girls are receiving mail-order chemical abortion drugs off the web. Even girls that live in states that have a parental involvement law, such as Iowa, are accessing these drugs.
HF 2672 is dead for the session. It would have allowed Iowans to subscribe to a shared, local solar project, meaning that parishes, families, and community members who cannot install solar on their own roofs could still benefit from locally generated clean energy and get a little off their electric bill.
And finally,
As a part of the Church’s mission to accompany mothers, we encourage you to learn more about becoming a “sidewalk advocate” at abortion clinics in Des Moines and Iowa City. A group from Dubuque travels regularly to Iowa City as well. The purpose is to engage in peaceful and prayerful sidewalk advocacy that reaches women’s hearts to encourage them to choose life for their baby. Click here for more information.
