2023 IA Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Iowa Legislature in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
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HF68 creates education programs and funding by establishing an education savings account program, modifying certain school district categorical funding supplements and supplementary weighting, and making appropriations. It provides a new standing unlimited General Fund appropriation for an Education Savings Account (ESA) Fund under the control of the Department of Education.
The Iowa State Senate passed HF68 on January 23, 2023 by a vote of 31 to 18. We have assigned pluses to the nays because all government money comes with strings attached. ESAs might sound good in theory, but they expand government involvement into all aspects of education — including homeschools and religious schools — and can potentially affect rules and curriculum. We encourage all parents to get their children out of the government school system and instead pursue sound alternatives such as homeschooling and patriotic private schools, where government funds are not involved.
SF538 prohibits activities regarding gender transition procedures relative to minors.
The Iowa State Senate passed SF538 on March 7, 2023 by a vote of 33 to 16. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because Marxists and Leftists are pushing their woke agenda — telling everyone that one can choose their own gender and decide what their pronouns are. They are pushing this on younger generations, which is pure indoctrination.
SF315 allows raw milk dairies that comply with the requirements outlined in the bill to sell raw milk and products derived from raw milk directly to consumers. These products cannot be intended for resale and are exempt from regulation by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship or the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
The Iowa State Senate passed SF315 on April 17, 2023 by a vote of 37 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because the prohibition on the sale of raw milk is in violation of the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. These bans violate the principles of the free market, as the government should not interfere in commerce. This legislation is a great step in the right direction.
SF496 mandates the Department of Education (DE) to establish rules necessitating periodic reviews of library materials in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, with a focus on identifying obscene or sexually explicit content. School districts must inform the DE when removing such books, and the DE maintains a list of these titles. Access to these books by students requires prior parental or guardian consent. The bill introduces curriculum changes, including a prohibition on gender identity or human sexuality instruction before grade five (or six for elementary schools teaching grade six). It also eliminates content related to certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and requires students to pass the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics test in their United States government classes.
The Iowa State Senate passed SF496 on April 19, 2023 by a vote of 34 to 16. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because protecting our children from obscene images in school and woke curriculum is of the utmost importance. The woke leftist agenda is to indoctrinate children with this disgusting material and it must be reigned in.
SF318 establishes an Iowa Office of Apprenticeship and Iowa apprenticeship council.
The Iowa State Senate passed SF318 on April 20, 2023 by a vote of 34 to 15. We have assigned the pluses to the nays because this is an unnecessary expansion of government by creating a new department, where its objective should be handled by the free market.
SF326 authorizes pharmacists to order and administer self-administered hormonal contraceptives to individuals aged eighteen years and older.
The Iowa State Senate passed SF326 on March 15, 2023 by a vote of 45 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this is completely immoral. This is a win and cash grab for the pharmaceutical industry, providing hormonal contraceptives without requiring individuals to consult their physicians to determine if it's the right decision for them. This could result in fewer women seeking medical advice, potentially leading to missed illnesses. Moreover, it raises concerns about potential misuse by human traffickers with unrestricted access to contraceptives.
