Republican State Sen. Jason Schultz confirmed on Tuesday night that bills addressing the governor’s emergency powers and a Religious Freedom Restoration Act will not be moved through the State Government Committee before this week’s self-imposed first funnel deadline.
Daniel Horowitz shared the news on social media late Tuesday night:
“So the Iowa Senate State Government committee under Sen. Jason Schultz will not be bringing emergency powers bill, any of the election integrity bills or religious freedom restoration act to full committee before funnel deadline,” Horowitz wrote. “I just don’t get the purpose of supermajorities.”
Informed Choice Iowa said it is “disappointed” to hear RFRA and the bill reforming the governor’s emergency powers would be killed in committee, noting neither bill had been assigned a subcommittee in the Iowa House either.
“If you are disappointed legislators are not taking up these bills to protect your rights that were wrongfully infringed upon during COVID, please email Sen. Jason Schultz, Rep. Jane Bloomingdale, Rep. Steven Holt and the Governor’s office,” Informed Choice Iowa said.
The contact information listed by ICI was:
Last September we shared Iowa’s embarrassingly low ranking in its religious liberty score. The state, though, was ranked 46th in religious liberty after six years of full Republican control.
Iowa was ranked 46th with Oregon. California is 48th. New York was 50th.
Illinois was ranked second. Washington State was ranked fifth.
You can read more about that here.
