District 53 Representative Dean Fisher (Republican)

This week was “Funnel Week,” the deadline for when individually filed bills must be passed out of committee to remain eligible for further consideration. Next week, we will run more bills on the floor as the committee process winds down.

The House Education Committee passed House Study Bill 206, which seeks to put a “Teachers Bill of Rights” into the Iowa Code. When talking with teachers in Iowa, it is shocking to hear about the behavioral issues of students they are asked to deal with daily. Too often, these teachers are not getting the support they need from their administration. And in many ways, they are hindered in their ability to discipline students that are disruptive and protect themselves against violent students. HSB 206 came about after receiving teachers’ feedback about their classroom experiences. It is likely not in its final form, and we continue working with folks in education to make it the best bill possible. In its current form, HSB 206 allows teachers to make a complaint directly to the state Ombudsman’s office regarding violence in the classroom and requires the Ombudsman to investigate. It also requires the school district to ensure their teachers know their rights regarding teacher immunity when physically contacting a violent student.

It also requires teachers to notify the parent/guardian within 24 hours if they witness student injury. And it includes teacher whistleblower protections from the school administration. It lays out a 3-strike system for student discipline. First offense – meet with the school counselor and one day of in-school suspension. Second offense – meet with the school counselor and 5 days of in-school suspension. Third offense – student is removed from that class and, if in high school, will not receive credit for that class.

This week, the Judiciary Committee advanced House Study Bill 214, a bill to ban transgender surgeries and harmful hormonal therapy from being used on Iowa children. Earlier in the year, the House Government Oversight Committee reached out to the four major hospital systems in Iowa, asking about their transgender surgeries, procedures, and treatments. Two hospitals responded that they do not do any surgery or hormone therapy for children. However, Unity Point provides hormone therapy and puberty blockers, and UIHC provides hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and top surgery to children. Yes, you read that right, the University of Iowa hospital will surgically remove the breasts of an underage girl in order for her to look more like a boy.

These gender transition services are permanent, life-altering decisions with serious risks and side effects, including sterilization. Children are just too young to understand the full impact of these decisions. In many ways, we limit children and their parents from making choices they are too young to make. For example, a child can’t drink alcohol outside the home, smoke cigarettes, or gamble, even with parental consent. The children seeking these treatments struggle and deserve support and care -not harmful, experimental treatments and permanent surgical alterations to their bodies. This law will help give Iowa children the time to mature and grow into themselves before making life-altering decisions.