DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa lawmakers have introduced a bill that would change the definition of marriage in the Iowa Constitution and threaten to strip away gay marriage in the state.
House Joint Resolution 8, filed on Tuesday, Feb. 28, seeks to define marriage in the Iowa Constitution as "the solemnized union between one human biological male and one human biological female."
The resolution's language is worded to remove gay and transgender Iowans from the definition, effectively undoing the 2009 ruling that made Iowa the third state in the nation to allow gay marriage and clashing with the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires states to recognize and allow same-sex marriages.
If passed through committee before a tight funnel week deadline of Friday, March 3, the bill would have to be adopted by the Iowa House, Senate and Gov. Reynolds, passed in the next general assembly in 2025 or 2026 and then be ratified by a majority of the electorate.
Two of the bill's sponsors are Quad City Area Republican representatives — District 81 Rep. Laura Stoltenberg and District 96 Rep. Mark Cisneros.
The move comes as Iowa Republicans propose a flurry of anti-LGBTQ legislation, including bathroom bills, banning gender-affirming care for minors, and forced outing by teachers.
Clock, Inc, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit based in the Quad Cities, posted its immediate thoughts to Instagram Tuesday night.
"Clock, Inc is disgusted yet unsurprised to see 1/6 insurrection attendee Rep. Luana Stoltenberg introduce bigoted legislation crafted upon cherry-picked Bible verses," said Adam Peters, director of operations at the nonprofit. "Clock, Inc will continue to advocate for the rights and freedoms of all individuals, and to fight against discrimination and hypocrisy in all its forms."
News 8 spoke with Pastor Rich Hendricks, of Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities, who said Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have declared war on humanity.
"They've attacked and are coming for teachers, librarians, trans persons, gays and all LGBTQ people," Hendricks said. "For our children with the rolling back of the child labor laws for women's reproductive rights and no one is safe."
Pastor Hendricks said people need to contact their legislators, to share their opinions. He's continuing to stand up for what he believes.
"We all need to stand together as human beings," Hendricks said. "They have no right messing with my marriage, or my religious rights to marry other people."
Hendricks said his marriage to a man "does not threaten anyone else's marriage."
"To the listener out there who's not gay, it doesn't matter," Hendricks said. "You're a human being and your rights matter, and so do mine."
News 8 has reached out to lawmakers involved in the proposal, and as of Wednesday, March. 1, they have yet to respond to requests for comment, except for Rep. Stoltenberg, who said she had no comment.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel