Iowa legislature approves bill removing gender identity from Iowa Civil Rights Act

DES MOINES — A bill that removes the words gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act has passed both houses of the Iowa Legislature and is headed to Governor Reynolds’ desk.

The measure passed the Senate on party lines Thursday afternoon, followed by the House less than an hour later. Five House Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against it.

The bill removes gender identity as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act and explicitly defines female and male.

Sexual orientation and gender identity were not original parts of the state’s Civil Rights Act of 1965. They were added by Democrats who controlled the legislature in 2007 along with about a dozen Republicans.

The bill now heads to Reynolds, who has previously signed bills banning sports participation and public bathroom access for transgender students.