I hope you saw Governor Reynold’s response to the state of the Union speech. It was outstanding. What a great contrast, comparing the failures at the national level with our successes here in Iowa.
Saving Girls Sports
We passed and the Governor signed House File 2416 on March 3. This bill provides that only those designated as females on their birth certificates can participate in school sports as girls. The bill does not prevent anyone from participating in school sports but it does prevent biological males from participating in female sports events. Though there are individual differences, everyone knows that, as a rule, biological males have physical advantages over biological females. Ainsley Erzen, a track champion from Carlisle High School, spoke briefly at the signing ceremony.
I heard from a number of people on both sides of this issue. This is one of the most controversial bills that we have considered this year.
The left is already threatening to sue the state, to try to get the law declared unconstitutional. As you know people on the far left regularly sue states, and other governmental entities, over laws or ordinances, that they have passed. This demonstrates the importance of having judges who will follow our constitutions and laws, as they issue their rulings, rather than base their rulings on what they think the law should be. Some judges even openly admit that they do not believe they should be bound by what legislators many years ago intended when writing constitutional provisions and laws. They claim the right to base their rulings on modern conditions that render the old provisions obsolete. It is much easier for a few judges to “amend” a constitution than for the rest of us who must go through the procedures set out in the constitutions.
Confirming Governor’s Appointments
We are in the middle of confirming the Governor’s appointments. By law most board and commission appointments must be balanced by gender and political party registration. The Governor makes about 230 appointments. Most begin their terms on May 1. It takes a two-thirds majority to confirm an appointment. There are 32 Republicans in the Senate and 18 Democrats. A two-thirds majority is 34. That means if all 18 Democrats vote no on an appointment they can block it. They do not do that often but they do occasionally. I have seen no indication that they will block any appointments this year.
More Freedom for Barbers & Cosmetologists
We passed House File 2022. This bill allows barbers and cosmetologists to travel to their customers’ locations to provide their services, and expands options for mobile salons.
