April 2, 2024 [Des Moines, Iowa]— Today, at a private event, Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law SF2095, the so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” This new law will allow broad religious exemptions to otherwise generally applicable laws. Broad religious exemptions open the door for people to claim they have a right to decide which laws they will and won’t obey. While we recognize religious freedom as a core liberty in the United States, we also recognize that it must never be weaponized as a tool to discriminate against others.
One Iowa Action Executive Director, Courtney Reyes, condemned the bill in a statement:
“There’s no denying it: this bill is aimed at discriminating against LGBTQ+ Iowans, single parents, people needing reproductive healthcare services, and many more. Supporters of the legislation knew this when they voted down the amendment to prevent discrimination, and the Governor knew this when she selected the location of the signing over a month after its passage.
We will work tirelessly to amend this law and restore the original intent of the federal RFRA when it was passed: to protect, not to discriminate. That’s what the Do No Harm Act does at a federal level, and that is exactly what we intend to do at the state level. Religion should never be weaponized to discriminate against others. Unfortunately, in its current form, that’s exactly what both the state and federal RFRAs allow.”