Each legislative session, the ACLU of Iowa monitors hundreds of bills that could impact civil liberties. Here are some pieces of legislation whose prospects are getting far brighter.
Lobbying for Fairness for Iowa’s Pregnant Workers
An ACLU priority this session is the passage of legislation that will require Iowa employers to accommodate the requests of workers who are pregnant and need “reasonable” accommodations for their health.
Voting Rights for People with Felonies
Iowa is now one of just two states that permanently takes away voting rights for every person convicted of any felony. Now Gov. Reynolds has expressed her support for a much-needed constitutional amendment that will permanently change the Iowa Constitution so that a felony conviction will not result in permanent disenfranchisement.
Criminal Justice Reform
Iowa lawmakers across the political spectrum are realizing that it’s time to rethink why and how we incarcerate people. Mass incarceration in Iowa has grown dramatically in the last 40 years as a result of our country’s failed War on Drugs. We’re also continuing work on other criminal justice problems that feed mass incarceration, including racial profiling, other mandatory minimums, and the crack/powder disparity.
Marijuana Laws
The ACLU will continue to work for the liberalization of Iowa’s marijuana laws, essential because of their impact on unfair criminal justice.
In fact, Iowa’s marijuana penalties are some of the most severe in the country. While other states decriminalize possession of small amounts, in Iowa you can be slapped with a jail sentence of six months or more as well as a $1,000 fine, for possession of any amount.
Open Records and Body Cameras
Iowa’s Open Records law is outdated and has been subject to misinterpretation. We’d like to see it revised so that government officials can no longer refuse to share what should be public documents and so that law enforcement must release body camera footage for public review in certain cases.
Contesting a Proposed Constitutional Amendment on Victims’ Rights
The ACLU firmly believes that crime victims deserve justice. At the same time, we also oppose changing the Iowa Constitution to include victims’ rights.
Abortion
Extremist politicians at the Capitol have passed two separate laws to block abortion access which have been overturned by the courts. Now they're taking a different approach — filing an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would state that 1) the constitution does not secure or protect a right to abortion and 2) the constitution does not require funding of abortion. We’ll continue to fight for a woman’s right to control her body in our state, every step of the way.
