The Iowa House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation aimed at protecting parents who raise children according to their biological sex, passing the bill on a party-line vote. Every Democrat present for the vote opposed the legislation, including State Rep. Josh Turek, who is running for U.S. Senate. Democrat Rep. Lindsay James, who is running for U.S. House, was “absent.”
House File 2557 clarifies that parents cannot be accused of child abuse, child endangerment or be penalized in custody or adoption decisions for raising a child consistent with their biological sex. The measure now moves to the Iowa Senate for consideration.
Republican lawmakers said the bill is designed to protect parental rights and prevent state agencies from labeling traditional views about sex and gender as abusive.
State Rep. Jon Dunwell, the bill’s floor manager, said the legislation establishes clear protections for families who decline gender transition treatments for minors. The same protections are provided to foster and adoptive parents, so they cannot be denied a license simply for intending to raise a child consistent with biology.
Dunwell said the bill also prevents courts from penalizing parents in custody cases for holding those views.
“It tells the family courts they cannot use a parent’s commitment to biological reality as a negative factor in custody decisions,” he said.
Dunwell argued the legislation is necessary because parents in other states have faced legal consequences for refusing to affirm a child’s so-called “gender identity.”
“Why is this bill necessary? Because in states across the country, we have already seen parents lose custody, lose foster licenses and even face criminal investigations simply for refusing to affirm a child’s belief that they are the opposite sex,” Dunwell said.
He also cited concerns about medical interventions for minors.
“A recent federal Health and Human Services report confirms what many of us have long suspected,” Dunwell said. “There is deep uncertainty about the benefits of so-called gender affirming care, while the harms are well-documented.”
Dunwell said the bill draws a clear line in Iowa law.
“Raising a child consistent with biology is not abuse,” Dunwell said. “It never has been, and under this bill, it never will be.”
Democrats strongly opposed the measure, arguing it could protect harmful treatment of LGBTQ youth and make it harder for authorities to intervene.
State Rep. Angel Ramirez shared the story of a non-binary student she said suffered abuse at home. She urged lawmakers to vote against the bill.
“If this bill becomes law, our state will have the blood of LGBTQ plus children on our hands,” Ramirez said.
State Rep. Elinor Levin also warned the legislation redefines abusive conduct.
“This bill is necessary because acts that are abusive must be redefined out of existence so that children can be forced to conform,” Levin said. “Wiping out that designation of abuse with this law does not make it okay.”
And State Rep. Wichtendahl, who identifies as transgender, said the bill could open the door to conversion therapy practices.
“This bill is gambling with the future of Iowa’s children,” Wichtendahl said. “The harms of this legislation are not hypothetical. Children will be harmed.”
Dunwell rejected those claims, saying the legislation does not change existing definitions of abuse. In closing debate, Dunwell emphasized that the bill leaves criminal abuse laws intact.
“House File 2557 does not change the definition of real child abuse. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect — those remain exactly what they have always been,” he said.
Instead, he said the bill prevents government agencies from treating a belief in biological sex as abusive.
“What this bill does is prevent the state from inventing a new category of abuse — the crime of believing that boys are boys and girls are girls,” he said.
The bill now advances to the Iowa Senate for consideration.
I watched this floor debate. Listening to the Democrat defenders of insanity is all the more reason why we should return Art. II, Sec. 5 regarding Disqualified Persons back to its original language of “No idiot or insane person…shall be entitled to the privilege of an elector.” The entire Democrat Party is nuts! Changning our Iowa Constitution in 2005 opened the door for irrational thinking people to participate in rational discussions. It doesn’t work. The Democrats prove that every time they open their collective mouth.