Iowa Women Do Well

After taking a break to visit Des Moines, I caught up with the results of Iowa state contests which were very good for the women candidates of Iowa. With the exception of the Governor's race and the 4th Congressional district, Democratic women candidates were the choice in the Iowa 1st and 3rd Congressional district, the Secretary of States's race, and also many House and Senate seats.

In the Senate 16 women from Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties out of 18 who ran were victorious in their primaries and in the House races, 58 out of 62. The positive is that the Iowa House and Senate may be more equally represented by gender in November than ever in the history of the state. If women won all the races that they are in, they would have 12 of 25 senate seats and 59 out of 100 House seats. However, though gender equality may be achieved, the politics would still be shaped down party lines as in the Senate 6 Republicans and 10 Democrats who are women are in contention for the seats and in the House, 16 and 46 respectively and also 2 Libertarians.

While top of the ticket women remain the domain for Republicans, the Democrats have fielded quite a few future party leaders. Anyway you look at the outcome of the primaries, change will come to the Iowa Legislature, the question is will that change be decidedly more progressive or conservative?

Marriage Equality

A meeting at Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist on Saturday brought social justice activists from liberal faith communities in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City together to discuss what can be done to support continued Marriage Equality in Iowa. State Senator Bob Dvorsky assured the group that the Iowa Senate would not allow amendments to be attached to bills that would change the current law that allows for same-sex marriages to occur.

Nonetheless, he did say that forces could move through the Iowa House to attempt to bring the issue to a state constitutional convention. However, he was clear that the Democratic leadership would not be supportive of such a push. He did say that proponents for Marriage Equality should not be complacent.

A lobby day will be coming up on February 11, 2010 to talk with House and Senate representatives and make the case that civil Marriage Equality is good for Iowa regardless of religious leanings. OneIowa and the Interfaith Alliance are working within communities to educate the public on the issues.

Smoking Ban Going To Conference For Compromise

Yesterday, the Iowa House rejected the Senate's version of the smoking ban bill and offered a version that lifted the ban from bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. Today the Senate stuck by their bill by rejecting the House's weakened version.

The Des Moines Register continues:

“Folks, this amendment goes against the intent of the bill as it does nothing to protect the health of those who patronize or have to work in these establishments,” said Sen. Staci Appel, an Ackworth Democrat. “Secondhand smoke knows no age limits. It doesn’t discriminate at all by age. Age really has nothing to do with it.”

The Senate’s 27 to 23 decision to reject the House’s version means that leaders from both the House and the Senate will likely form a special committee in an attempt to reach compromise. The decision to create the committee will be made next week.

Once a compromise through the committee is reached, the full Senate and House can only give a thumb up or a thumb down to the proposal, which means that the month-long amendment process and shuffling of the proposal between the House and the Senate is done.