Subcommittee hearing on bill striking gender identity from Iowa Civil Rights Act to be held Monday
A bill that would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act will be voted on in a House subcommittee Monday morning.
State law currently prevents decisions relating to employment, housing, public accommodations, education and credit from being impacted by someone's gender identity.
Iowa is one of 23 states, plus the District of Columbia, with the protection.
The author of House Study Bill 242 says that is currently in conflict with recently passed laws, including one that bars transgender people from using school restrooms that do not align with their birth-assigned sex.
"We're the only state that has that in place but also has gender identity as a protected class in Iowa Code and legal experts tell us that those things cannot cohabitate for very long because they conflict," said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison.
One Iowa's director of policy and advocacy says this could create a domino effect of ramifications for transgender Iowans.
"It would be legal to deny them certain kinds of insurance coverage. It would be legal to deny them a hotel rental. It would be legal to deny them a credit card," said Keenan Crow.
The House Judiciary Committee will hold the subcommittee meeting Monday morning at 11 a.m. in Room 103.
Subcommittees are the only chance the public has to weigh in on bills.
Iowa House bill could remove civil rights protections for transgender Iowans
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