The Iowa legislature passed and then Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that provides school districts guidance for transgender students and bathrooms. 

Iowa House Lawmakers passed Senate File 482, by a vote of 57-39, putting requirements on school district’s bathrooms and locker rooms. This piece of legislation prohibits students using bathrooms or locker rooms that don’t align with their assigned sex listed on their birth certificate. House District 28 Representative David Young supports this law and says that they are trying to prevent students from being uncomfortable sharing a changing room and undressing in front of a member of the opposite sex. 

“The goal of this bill is to respect the privacy of all children at school. For decades, we’ve separated bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex, and we believe that policy must remain. 

Members of Congress that oppose this piece of legislation say that this would harass the LGBTQ community. Young tells Raccoon Valley Radio he is against any kind of bullying. 

“Of course, some children may not feel comfortable using the restroom or locker room that corresponds with their biological sex. And this bill accommodates those students and directs schools to make accommodations for that child by providing a separate space for that child to use.”

This bill was signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds and went into effect immediately.