DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – The Iowa House passed legislation Tuesday requiring parental consent for minors to receive certain vaccines associated with sexually transmitted diseases — a measure that Democrats said could lead to higher cancer rates in Iowa.

Iowa requires parental consent for minors to receive a vast majority of vaccinations. But there’s currently a carveout in Iowa law for human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B vaccines. Iowans under age 18 can consent, without parental approval, for these vaccines, as they specifically deal with sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

Senate File 304, which passed on a 63-29 vote — would remove this exemption, requiring parental consent for minors to receive HPV and hepatitis B vaccines. Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, an internal medicine physician, said the measure was a “pro-cancer bill, period.”

At subcommittee meetings on the measure, advocates representing health care providers and organizations have said HPV is linked with multiple forms of genital cancer, including cervical, penile, anal cancer and vaginal cancers — and that studies have found the HPV vaccine in particular has been linked with much lower instances of cervical cancer especially when a person is vaccinated before age 17.

“We have, with these vaccines, a way to save people’s lives,” Baeth said. “And in a state with the fastest-rising cancer rates, the second highest cancer rate overall, we should be doing more to prevent cancer, not less.”

Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield, who supported the bill, said the measure was not limiting access to the HPV vaccine, but ensuring that parents approve of these vaccines being administered to young children.

Rep. Megan Srinivas, D-Des Moines, said the reason why this carveout was introduced in Iowa law in the first place was because there were instances where a parent may not be a trusted adult in a child’s life — including in situations of child abuse or child sexual assault.

“This conversation about needing to always trust our adults does not take the bad actors into account,” Srinivas said. “And what we should be keeping in mind, as we are passing legislation, are the most vulnerable in our society, which are the children that we have been entrusted to protect. By removing one of the most important things we can do in protecting children who might be the victims, we are making a bad decision, and that is why I urge you to vote no on this.”

Rep. Austin Harris, R-Moulton, disagreed with the assertion that the measure was “pro-cancer” — saying it only subjects the HPV and Hepatitis B vaccines to the same requirements as other vaccines.

“Are we pro-polio because we require parental consent?” Harris said. “Pro-measles, pro-mumps, everything else? And I take it personally as someone who has a mother, who is a breast cancer survivor, to be accused of saying, ‘I’m pro-cancer.’”

The measure heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk for final approval.

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• Severe storms are expected to hit Iowa again Tuesday, bringing the possibility of tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds.
• The National Weather Service has issued an Enhanced Risk for parts of Iowa, indicating a higher chance of organized severe thunderstorms.
• Forecasters warn that strong tornadoes and giant hail are possible with the most intense storms.
• The severe weather threat is expected to continue through the week, with another strong system anticipated on Friday.

Severe storms are expected to sweep across Iowa again in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 14, with forecasters warning of all severe weather hazards possible — including tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds — as multiple rounds of storms move through the region through midweek.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has placed parts of Iowa under an Enhanced Risk (Level 3 of 5) for Tuesday, signaling a higher likelihood of organized severe thunderstorms, including supercells capable of producing strong tornadoes and very large hail.

What is the weather today in Iowa?

Forecasters expect storms to develop late Tuesday afternoon into the evening as a stalled frontal boundary sits across eastern Iowa into Wisconsin. A surge of warm, moisture-rich air moving north from the Missouri Valley will collide with steep mid-level lapse rates and strong wind shear, creating an environment supportive of severe storms.

If storms can form, they are expected to quickly become supercells.

“Large to giant hail and an intense tornado will be possible with the strongest storms,” the Storm Prediction Center noted, especially where wind shear is maximized near surface boundaries.

More: Tornadoes, thunderstorms threaten central US amid back-to-back storms

Are tornadoes in Iowa possible?

Yes — tornadoes are possible across Iowa Tuesday afternoon and evening, though forecasters say the setup is still uncertain and depends on how storms evolve during the day, according to the National Weather Service.

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