Iowa
Bill removing gender-balance requirement for Iowa boards and commissions clears Senate – Iowa Capital Dispatch
Legislation removing Iowa’s gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions advanced through the Iowa Senate Tuesday.
Republican female lawmakers — Sens. Annette Sweeney, Chris Cournoyer, Carrie Koelker and Dawn Driscoll — spoke in support of Senate File 2096 during floor debate. If the bill becomes law, the state would no longer require that state panels include an equal number of men and women.
While some Democrats argued that the measure is necessary to combat gender discrimination and ensure women have equal access to government and leadership roles, Cournoyer said she found it “sad” that some lawmakers believed repealing the requirement would lead to a reduction in women serving or being picked for these government bodies.
Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, said that the rule was “insulting,” recounting stories she has heard of women being asked to serve on certain boards solely because of their gender. She said boards and commissions should be comprised of the most qualified people of the communities they represent, which will include qualified and able women.
“Did I have to work harder to prove myself? Yes,” Cournoyer said. “Did I have hurdles to overcome? Yes. But all of those challenges made me better and stronger and more prepared for opportunities and challenges that I faced throughout my lifetime, just like many other women. Women who have worked hard to earn their success should not have that success diminished by those that depend on a system that allows them to fall upward.”
Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, argued the requirement is still necessary. Boulton brought up a U.S. District Court ruling — which has been appealed — that found Iowa’s gender balance requirement for the judicial nominating commission was unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. He said looking at the composition of judicial nominating commissions in Iowa showed the need for a mandate: Before the requirement was first established in 1987, no woman had been elected to serve on the state commission.
Nationwide, studies have found that men still comprise the majority of state judicial nominating commissions, Boulton said.
“This is a current situation where we look around the country, and absent a gender balance requirement, it’s imbalanced,” Boulton said.
During a subcommittee meeting on the legislation earlier in February, Karen Kedrowski, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women spoke in favor of the requirement — and said women still do not have equal representation on boards and commissions despite the law.
Since the gender balance requirement was extended to cities and counties in 2012, the percentage of Iowa municipalities with gender-balanced boards rose from 13% to 61%, and rose from 12% to 62% for counties, according to the center’s data. Boards and commissions are exempt from the requirement if they unable to find a qualified candidate to meet the gender-balance rule after a three-month search under current law.
Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, joined Republicans in supporting the measure. He said women, with higher rates of graduation and secondary education, will be more likely to serve as qualified applicants on panels in the state and the gender-balance requirement would be a “ceiling” for their participation.
“I think we should do away with that ceiling,” Quirmbach said. “I think we should let both men and women compete on the basis of their qualifications and their achievements and their willingness to work hard. I have no doubt that if we move in that direction, if we let women move forward as far as their talents and energy will take them, that 50% is going to be far exceeded in the not too distant future.”
Sen. Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, pushed back on claims that the requirement was no longer necessary, or that women were being chosen as “tokens” instead of as qualified applicants to serve on boards and commissions. She also said while significant strides have been made in women’s inclusion into government and leadership roles, that does not mean there’s no need for laws ensuring women’s representation.
“Simply because progress has been made does not mean it’s not going to roll back, or it can’t roll back,” she said.
The measure passed 32-15, and heads to the House for consideration.
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home.
“I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for April 13-18. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:
Taylor Roose, Pella boys track and field
Roose competed in three events at the Norwalk Invitational, winning all three in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.
Daxon Kiesau, Urbandale boys track and field
Kiesau swept the throwing events at the Norwalk Invitational, taking first place in the shot put and the discus.
Alex Burger, Southeast Valley boys track and field
Competing at home, Burger dominated, earning four gold medals. He won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump while running on the winning 4×200-meter relay and shuttle hurdle relay.
Kolby Hodnefield, Clear Lake boys track and field
Hodenfield, a defending state champion, broke the meet, venue and school record in the 200 and the 400 at the Clear Lake Invitational. He added victories as part of the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Both relays also set meet records.
Easton Moon, North Polk boys tennis
Moon has started off his senior season on the courts unbeaten, winning all four matches while dropping just one game in 44 played.
Ava Lohrbach, Gilbert girls golf
One of the top golfers in the state, Lohrbach has had a hot start, firing a 35 in her nine-hole debut and a 72 for her 18-hole opener.
Nathan Manske, Algona boys golf
An elite quarterback and basketball player, Manske is showing his golfing skills this spring, coming out with a state-low 30 in a nine-hole event.
Ella Hein, Tipton girls track and field
Hein set school records in the 400-meter run and long jump at the Tiger/Tigerette Relays while also locking in the Blue Standard and qualifying for the Drake Relays. She won the long jump (18-6) and was second in the 400.
Maeve Bowen-Burt, Iowa City High girls track and field
The sophomore helped the Little Hawks land three Drake Relays events on the last night of qualifying, advancing in the 400 hurdles, along with the sprint medley and 4×400 relays.
About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
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