DES MOINES – A bill that would allow a range of religious exemptions to the Iowa Civil Rights Act and other state laws was introduced this week in the Iowa Senate.
On Thursday, February 1, Iowa State Sen. Dennis Guth introduced SF 2154, a bill that would allow broad religious exemptions to the Iowa Civil Rights Act and other state laws.
Guth said his bill, which has a number of Republican supporters, is “about giving everyone equal rights.”
“It’s legalizing discrimination based upon your religious convictions,” said Democratic Senator Matt McCoy of Des Moines.
A number of lobbyists already declared they are against the bill, including one from the Principal Financial Group and two from the Iowa State Education Association.
A leader of Iowa’s largest LGBTQ group, One Iowa Action Executive Director Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, condemned the bill in a statement.
“This religious exemption bill is vague and ripe for abuse,” Hoffman-Zinnel said. “Broad religious exemptions open the door for people to claim they have a right to decide which laws they will and won’t obey. This creates uncertainty for law enforcement and opens the floodgates to legal chaos and frivolous lawsuits at taxpayer expense. It leaves LGBTQ Iowans, single mothers, children, and many others vulnerable to discrimination.
“There is no doubt that freedom of religion is important and one of our nation’s fundamental and shared values. That’s why it’s already protected by the First Amendment. We call on Iowa senators to oppose this dangerous and unnecessary bill.”
