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Senate passes bill to remove affirmative‑action provisions from Iowa law
Summary
The Senate voted to pass House File 27 11, which sponsors described as repealing affirmative‑action provisions from Iowa Code, eliminating certain mandatory reports and positions and removing related training requirements; opponents warned of lost transparency, training and potential federal compliance risks.
Senator Schultz moved and the Senate passed House File 27 11, a measure the sponsor described as removing "the ideology of affirmative action from Iowa code" and reinforcing equal opportunity under state law.
Supporters framed the bill as restoring the constitutional promise of equal treatment. Senator Schultz said he wanted Iowa Code to reflect the idea that "if you work hard ... you can achieve" and argued the changes would put "all Iowans on an equal footing under the law." He moved the bill for final reading and the Senate proceeded to a roll-call vote, after which the chair declared the bill had received a constitutional majority and passed the Senate.
Opponents warned of consequences if the bill becomes law. Senator Weiner, identifying himself as a senator from Johnson, urged colleagues to vote no, saying affirmative action "is simply our promise that we will look everywhere for the best candidate for the job" and argued that repealing affirmative‑action plans would remove transparency and recruitment strategies, eliminate cultural‑awareness police trainings established under the More Perfect Union Act and could put officers and communities at risk. He also raised the possibility of fiscal and federal compliance impacts, saying "we have no idea how much this may cost the state and federal funding" if the state ceases to meet federal standards.
Senator Stade (Lehi) said HF 27 11 "is a deliberate dismantling of policies designed to ensure equal opportunity," listing education, employment, public safety and health outcomes as areas that could be affected, and said the bill "slams as many of those doors shut again." Schultz responded in final remarks asking for support to reflect what he characterized as constitutional traditions.
The transcript records named votes and the chair declared the bill passed by a constitutional majority; the Senate then granted unanimous consent to immediately message the bill to the House.
What happens next: The Senate sent House File 27 11 to the House for further action.
