This is the fourth straight year Republicans in Iowa have had the trifecta (control of the House, Senate and Terrace Hill). For the most part, progress has been made.
For the most part.
But there’s one item the Iowa House has not acted on. To my knowledge, the Iowa House Republicans have not held even a subcommittee hearing on a Religious Freedom and Restoration Act for the Hawkeye State.
This means that after 8:30 a.m on Wednesday morning, Iowa House Republicans will have granted a subcommittee to LGBTQ advocates to ban any efforts to change a child’s perceived sexual identity or gender identity. This means no parent in Iowa can seek help, if they want, to change a child’s orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual.
And, if a health care professional would attempt to do so, the state would punish them.
This is a bad, terrible, horrible policy. And that’s if it comes from Democrats.
It is even worse coming from Republicans.
This bill erodes parental rights like no Republican bill before.
Republicans are taking an option away from parents. Republicans are banning health care professionals from providing whatever the best care for a patient may be.
This bill violates parental rights to an extent I have never seen from the GOP. Ever.
It is wrong. It is shameful. And it is reckless. It shows complete and utter disdain for parents who want to follow what they believe is best for their children.
Children belong to their parents, not the state. That was a Republican idea not too long ago.
Nobody is advocating for abuse. There are laws against abuse from doctors to patients. And, if there is abusive “therapy” happening in Iowa, where are the lawsuits?
It is a sad day in the Iowa Republican Party when a Republican-controlled House can’t deliver a subcommittee on a Religious Freedom and Restoration Act but has a subcommittee on banning conversion therapy.
President Donald Trump’s presence on the ballot may be enough to save Republican control of the Iowa House in 2020. But Iowa House Republicans will have their hands full attempting to repair the trust they will have broken with parents by allowing legislation like this to see the light of day.
