Friend –

This week the Iowa Legislature started its 90th General Assembly, and we're ready.

It's going to be another challenging session. We will be focusing on the proposed abortion constitutional amendment and a handful of proactive bills that will help create a more fair, more equal Iowa.

• A proposed amendment to change the Iowa Constitution to state there is no fundamental right to an abortion in Iowa. This is nothing less than an attempt to end all abortion access in Iowa. Find out more. We're building out an unprecedented advocacy program to mobilize and educate voters on this issue. Meanwhile, we're poised to fight any bills that might come up that limit a person's right to an abortion.
• Eviction expungement. In Iowa, even if you are simply threatened with an eviction – and even if the case is dismissed or you win in court – that stays on your record and haunts you for decades, preventing you from getting affordable, quality housing; loans; and even many jobs. Black women are disproportionately affected, with Black women renters being 5.5 times more likely to have evictions filed against them than white renters. We have bipartisan support for legislation that would fix this and give people a clean slate to move forward with rebuilding their lives. Find out more.
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. We had a national victory when President Biden signed a law that allows pregnant workers to request reasonable measures to protect their health at work, like extra time off for doctor's appointments, more sitting time, or less heavy lifting. It was a tremendous step forward, but in Iowa, we still need a similar act passed at the state level because the new federal law applies only to larger businesses. This proposal also has bipartisan support. Find out more.
• Allowing a domestic violence victim to break their lease. Getting out of a dangerous home situation or leaving your current home because an abuser or stalker has found you is crucial for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other abuse. But getting out of your lease normally means taking a significant financial hit or encountering legal complications. No one should have to choose between their safety and their financial or legal stability. We support legislation that would allow victims who can document the abuse to get out of their lease without a legal or financial penalty in order to help keep them safe. This bill also has bipartisan support.

To keep up with all the latest legislative developments, keep looking for emails from us like these. And follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Thank you for all you do,

Mark Stringer
Executive Director, ACLU of Iowa