Iowa Governor Signs Law Making State the First to Remove Gender Identity Protections From Civil Rights Code
On February 28, 2025, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed legislation making the state the first to remove antidiscrimination protections for gender identity from its civil rights code. Quick Hits Iowa Governor Reynolds signed a bill into law that removes “gender identity” as a protected class under the state’s civil rights code. The law further defines gender as binary, requires birth certificates to indicate sex, and restricts teaching about “gender theory” from kindergarten through sixth grade. The enactment further amends the law to specifically state that “separate accommodations are not inherently unequal.” Senate File (SF) 418 , which takes effect on J uly 1, 2025, removes “gender identity” as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. The new law makes it more difficult for transgender individuals to bring claims alleging discrimination or harassment in state...