Iowa school bathroom bill awaits Reynolds' signature

The House approved the measure, 57-39, with five Republicans joining the 34 Democrats present in opposing the proposal. The vote came a week after the Senate approved the bill.

Republican Rep. Steven Holt said the bill “applies to everyone equally.” Holt said children have long used different restrooms based on biological and physiological characteristics and this tradition should continue.

“I do understand and empathize with a child that may not feel comfortable using the bathroom of their biological sex. Accommodations should be made when possible to keep that child comfortable as they change or use the restroom,” Holt said. “However, that cannot be done or should not be done at the expense of the privacy and safety of our daughters.”

Democrats responded that there was no history of transgender students bothering other students in restrooms and that a new requirement would put transgender children in danger.

“All students deserve a safe school environment,” said Democratic Rep. Jennifer Konfrst. “Forcing transgender students into restrooms that don’t match their gender identity puts their safety at risk.”

The group Iowa Safe Schools, which advocates for LGBTQ students, said that since gender identity was added to the Iowa Civil Rights Act in 2007, there had been no documented incidents of transgender people acting inappropriately in restrooms.

“This bill is a solution to an imaginary problem, all for the sake of bullying trans children,” Becky Tayler, the group’s executive director, said in a statement.

Iowa is among several states with Republican leadership that have passed similar legislation.

On Wednesday, lawmakers approved such a bill in Arkansas and sent it to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Alabama, Oklahoma and Tennessee also have passed laws with similar restroom restrictions.

Reynolds, who has been supportive of measures that limit the teaching of transgender topics in schools and prohibit boys and men from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, is expected to sign the bill. Another bill approved last week that awaits the governor’s signature would prohibit doctors from providing gender-transition treatments, including puberty blockers and surgeries.