A recap of the bills passed through the state legislature was the topic at Voices United meeting Wednesday, June 17, at Whitey’s Bar and Grill.

Rep. Angel Ramirez District 78 from Cedar Rapids spoke about several of the bills that passed.

Ramirez, who was originally born in California but moved to Iowa and graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, said she fell in love with Iowa and the Cedar Rapids community so much so that she decided to run for office.

This last legislative session, Ramirez said that there were highs and lows, one of the lows being the last 36-hour straight legislative closure. Certain groups were targeted by many of the bills from the statehouse this year, she said, with LGQBTIA+ individuals and immigrants seeing the most bills against them.

Ramirez served on the education committee, judicial committee, government oversight and agriculture.

Ramirez said one of the badbills passed by the legislature was Senate File 2201, which set state supplemental aid (SSA) at 1.75 for the year, well below the 5 percent SSA that was requested.

“This will have a trickle down effect and impact many schools across the state,” Ramirez said.

House File 2788 was a bill that attacked reproductive rights, outlawing medications that were used in the case of miscarriages.

House File 2739 created a new healthcare tax that will impact Iowans health care costs.

“That was a bill that Republicans shot down every proposed amendment,” Ramirez said.

House File 2575 adds restrictions for SNAP and Women Infant and Children benefits, she said, especially impacting access to benefits, especially those who are undocumented.

House File 2711 allows state universities to discriminate against DEI protections.

Senate File 579 restricts cities from enforcing protections for protected classes.

House File 571 allows health care workers to discriminate on religious or political beliefs.

During question and answer period, an attendee asked if there’s a persuasive group that generates many of the garbage bills in the legislature.

Ramirez said that it comes from the top down.

“The average Republican is worried about things like paying their mortgage, keeping their jobs, and the like, and many of the bills proposed this session don’t address those issues,” Ramirez said.

She said that many of the Republicans back the bills because of the threat of being primaried by their own party, as happened to Todd Lohse.

It also highlights the problems that Democrats will face in repealing anti-Republican bills in the legislature.

“We need to find ways to highlight we’re not just anti-Republicans on some bills that have passed,” Ramirez said.

One of the items that came from the legislature this year was something David Osterberg said needs to be noted – a constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November. The language of the bill says that legislature can’t raise income tax or corporate taxes without a two-third majority.

“It’s worded in a way that makes it seem like it would be a good idea,” Ramirez said.

Questioners asked if there is a space where many of these bills come from, and Ramirez said they come from out of state. Locations like Florida, Georgia and other states pass similar laws and pass them to other states to float. She did note that practice happens on both sides of the aisle.

One question asked if there was any appetite to address data centers at the state level.

Ramirez said she has not seen that.

Not wanting to leave on doom and gloom, Ramirez highlighted some of the bills that are positive for the state as well.

The legislature provided more funding for pediatric cancer research.

There was legislation passed to protect pets and animals from abuse.

One bill this year passed was all new constructed homes need to have a radon detection system installed. Radon is one of the leading causes of cancer in the state of Iowa.

Senate File 425 connects more schools to have access to locally grown foods.

Senate File 417 increases regulation for artificial intelligence protections for kids.

One bill that passed was providing tuition waivers for disabled veterans at state universities.

As well, a number of bills died in the legislature this year. A bill criminalizing abortion did not make it out of session.

None of the anti-library bills advanced out of state this year, due to the pushback from many across the state.

Bills trying to enforce the need for hygienic clothing at schools also did not pass.