Deb Hild is one of two Republicans seeking the GOP nomination in Iowa House District 60. Here are her answers to The Iowa Standard’s 2022 Legislative Survey for Republican primary races.
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Describe your worldview and how that will influence you as a legislator:
I have a Biblical worldview in which God’s truth as revealed in the Bible is elevated above all other opinions. It is that truth that will guide my legislative decisions, conversations and relationships.
In your opinion, what are the three most pressing issues the legislature should address:
A. Pro-life legislation, positioning for appeal of Roe vs. Wade B. Medical Mandate Freedom and Privacy Freedom legislation C. Student-First School Choice legislation
Feel free to explain your ideal tax policy/policies for Iowa (included in this section in order to allow for as much flexibility as possible):
The legislature did a fine job moving the Governor’s flat tax plan through. Continuing to lower the flat tax to 0% will keep Iowa citizens in Iowa and encourage others to move to Iowa.
Have you or will you sign The Big Family Pledge:
I have signed The Big Family Pledge.
FREE MARKET:
Do you believe the government should force consumers to buy a product:
The government should not force consumers to buy a product, nor set up a situation that would drive a producer out to promote another. Economic freedom does not force the consumer to buy a particular product.
Do you believe the government should force retailers to sell a product:
The government should not force retailers to sell a product. Economic freedom allows retailers to operate in a free market without government coercion.
Do you support reforming or eliminating Iowa’s Certificate of Need laws:
Yes, I support reforming Iowa’s CON laws. These laws have been found to fail in meeting the original goal of controlling healthcare costs only to do the opposite and serve as a form of economic protectionism for certain healthcare providers.
Do you support periodic reviews of all government licenses and boards to ensure they’re necessary:
Yes. There should be periodic reviews of state licensure requirements and boards. A certified provider is a quick indication to the consumer of a minimum standard in the industry or service. On the other hand, quality control isn’t always delivered best by government over a private entity, so, review is good.
LIFE:
Do you support the Protect Life Amendment to the Iowa Constitution:
Absolutely. And I support any “personage” legislation acknowledging a human life which begins at conception is a person.
When do you believe life begins and at what stage does it deserve protections under the law:
Life begins at conception and ends at natural death and is worthy of protection under the law.
EDUCATION:
Would you support universal Education Savings Accounts for Iowa families:
Yes, I would support ESAs for Iowa families. Not all students do well in the same educational setting so families should be able to choose what works best for their child and the money should follow the child. I believe that the public will need a clear understanding of what ESAs are and what they aren’t, to fully appreciate and understand the issue of school choice. At present, there is much fear and misunderstanding creating division. I have confidence in public education and that public schools can thrive and remain strong as a school-choice state with the continued support of state and local budgets. I would continue to advocate for strong public schools that support students that choose to attend public schools and staff who choose to devote their careers to public education. That said, with some schools moving into areas that parents do not want to involve their children and families, such as CRT or Social Emotional Learning and the sexualizing of their children, an exodus from public school should not come as a surprise.
Do you believe obscene materials and pornographic materials belong in public school libraries:
Pornographic and obscene materials have no place in public school libraries. Supplying pornography to minors is illegal and whatever loophole that allows obscene or anything that suggests the sexualization of children at any grade level, needs to be eliminated.
In what grade should schools begin providing instruction to students on sexual orientation and gender identity:
At no point should schools participate in the sexualization of children, “instructing” them on sexual orientation and gender identity. That is extreme overreach and usurps parental authority. It also distracts from public school’s main responsibility. I would support sex education in grades 4-6 where children receive health education regarding male and female body functions and hygiene. In the spirit of transparency parents are given the opportunity to view the lesson and have the choice for their child to opt out.
Would you support a bathroom bill in Iowa, which states biological males use the boys’ bathroom and biological females use the girls’ bathroom:
Yes, for the health, privacy and safety of both boys and girls.
LGBTQ:
Should gender identity be stripped out of the Iowa Civil Rights code:
Yes. There are no special allowances and rights based on gender.
Should Iowa make it illegal for minors to undergo sex-change surgery and treatments:
Yes. An irreversible decision such as a sex-change surgery should be illegal for a minor.
Should Iowa schools/teachers ask students for preferred pronouns:
No. There are two genders: male and female. A biological boy is a “he” and a biological girl is a “she”.
Should Iowa require schools/teachers to share a child’s “preferred pronoun” and/or “gender identity” with the child’s parent(s)/guardian(s):
The school/teacher should be required to share any kind of struggle or confusion the child is experiencing. Parents have a constitutionally secured right to know about their child’s activity and performance while at school. Through transparency and honesty school to parent trust is built for the sake of the child.
Do you support banning conversion therapy (making it illegal for a parent to take a child to a health care professional to talk about confusion as it relates to sexual orientation or gender identity)?
I don’t believe in banning a health care professional, a counselor or a pastor from speaking Biblical truth into confusion, as it relates to sexual orientation or gender identity.
COVID RELATED:
Do you believe any institution – whether private or governmental – should be able to mandate a vaccination?
No institution, private or governmental should be able to mandate what goes into your body.
How could the Iowa legislature have handled the COVID pandemic differently?
Looking in the rearview mirror we’ve all learned some things. While the federal government’s emergency response went far beyond the legal two weeks, our Governor continued to question the science and focused on Iowa numbers. Our legislature failed Iowans in not passing a necessary
mandate freedom and medical privacy bill to protect Iowans from future government tyranny.
Do you believe Iowa should reform the Governor’s emergency powers?
The Governor’s emergency powers are necessary in times of natural disasters, but some state governor’s responses to Covid demonstrates how far they can insert government into our lives, businesses, and churches. This calls for reform.
CLOSING QUESTIONS:
Are there any issues of disagreement you have with the Republican Party of Iowa platform from 2018?
I appreciate the brevity and succinctness of the Republican Party Platform (five pages compared to the ninety-one pages of the Democratic platform.) I feel the county, district and state convention process has worked well.
What improvements, if any, would you make to Iowa’s voting laws to ensure elections are fair and full of integrity?
I would advocate the cleaning up of voter rolls, the requirement of U.S. citizenship with ID required and a commitment to practices in the election process that are not subject to easy fraud, such as a limited time frame for absentee voting and the elimination of electronic voting machines. While the machines may be adequate, the people have lost trust in them.
IOWA HOUSE DISTRICT 60:
Hild is running against State Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, who is yet to submit her survey answers.
To learn more about Hild’s candidacy or follow her campaign, visit her Facebook page.
[…] You can read about Deb Hild, Bloomingdale’s primary opponent, here. […]