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By now, you have probably heard a lot about HF 583.
This is a bill for an act relating to sex and gender, including those and related terms for purposes of statutory construction, indications of a person’s sex on certain vital records, gender identity under the Iowa Civil Rights Act, and school curricula related to gender theory.
This bill was filed last Feb. 20. I thought it was only fair to keep an open mind to allow myself time to read and figure out the bill — as well as my constituents.
There is a lot happening in the bill already and it also changed throughout its journey through the legislative process, so that left more to learn and understand.
Honestly, I had not heard a lot from folks back home on this issue. We have gotten a lot of emails, and I’ve been running the names through my constituent database and Google to track down actual constituents. A lot of people want to claim to be in House District 6!
And what communications I have gotten was a mixed bag. Lest we forget, I represent the most diverse county in the state.
We put together an amendment in case it was needed, but it was withdrawn. I think there was an assumption that because we put together an amendment, we were a “no” on the final bill. What ended up happening was quite the opposite. We were able to prompt great conversations yesterday with reasonable people to talk about our district’s and our constituent's concerns. The amendment, even being withdrawn, was not a roadblock, but a bridge. I look forward to the debate today and I intend to support the bill.
This has been a difficult issue for a lot of Iowans. I want to be respectful of them and their free speech rights. The Capitol building was very loud with many protestors, visitors, and discussions. And that is okay.
Our state, leaders, and this building tackle tough issues. I am not immune from that nor am I immune from criticism. I appreciate those of you who have reached out to me over the years to share your perspective. This is how we all learn, grow and lead.
Thank you for sharing in this process with me. It’s not always perfect, nor am I. Please know I try my best and will always fight for House District 6.
The next Storm Lake Legislative Forum is Saturday, March 15, at 10 a.m. at King’s Pointe Resort. Contact Jones by email: megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov
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