It did not take long to learn the fate of legislation introduced in the Iowa House on Wednesday that attempted to strip gender identity out of the Iowa Civil Rights code.
Rep. Steven Holt (R-Crawford) said as chair of the House Judiciary committee, he will not advance House File 2164.
“The bill is dead,” he tweeted.
Holt sent an email to an Iowan stating:
“As Judiciary Chair, I want to assure you that I will not advance this legislation. The first step in the process would be for the bill to receive a subcommittee. It WILL NOT receive a sub-committee.
“The bill is dead.”
One Iowa, the state’s leading LGBT group, told its supporters their calls and emails “made a difference.”
“Victory!,” One Iowa Action said on Facebook. “We just received a call from Chairman Holt who let us know he would not be advancing HF 2164 from his committee. Thank you for all your calls and emails, they really made a difference.”
GLBT Youth In Iowa Schools Task Force, or Iowa Safe Schools as they are referred to by their fictitious name, posted the news as well.
“Congrats to every one who emailed and called your legislator about HF2164 the dangerous anti-trans bill. Keep up the work on talking to legislators about our LGBTQ community but confirmation the bill is dead from the Judiciary Chair as well as other key Iowa House Republican leaders. Together we can make a tremendous impact for LGBTQ youth.”
For his part, Holt told The Iowa Standard that he shares some of Rep. Dean Fisher’s (R-Tama) concerns, the sponsor of the bill. But…
“I’m very concerned about the unintended consequences of this and the message that it might send that is not intended,” Holt said. “I don’t think this is the way that we handle it.”
