Hunter
01/22/26
The Iowa Senate is advancing a bill that would extend the current ban on gender identity and sexual orientation instruction from K-6 to middle and high schools.
The Gazette reports a Senate education subcommittee agreed 2-1 to advance the bill, sending it to the full committee for further consideration. Republican Sens. Jesse Green, of Boone, and Sandy Salmon, of Janesville, agreed to move the measure forward, while Democratic Sen. Molly Donahue, of Marion, opposed it. A companion bill has been introduced in the Iowa House by Rep. Helena Hayes, a Republican from New Sharon.
Senate File 2003 would prohibit school districts, charter schools and innovation zone schools from providing “any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction” relating to sexual orientation or “gender theory” for any grade level, including middle and high school.
Topics like human growth and development, sexuality and disease prevention for 7th graders and up would still be provided, stripped of content that would violate the ban.
Supporters say the bill respects parental rights and prevents “indoctrination,” while opponents say it further isolates and endangers vulnerable students.
Iowa’s law mandating certain book removals remains on hold under a renewed federal injunction that blocks enforcement of the law’s school library provision while the state presses its appeal.