Iowa Democrats back abortion access, legalized marijuana, more school funding – Iowa Capital Dispatch

Iowa Home Democrats named rising public college funding, defending abortion and legalizing marijuana as objectives for the upcoming legislative session Wednesday.

The legislative leaders of Iowa’s minority occasion unveiled their “individuals over politics” agenda on the Iowa State Capitol. The plan has 4 parts: decreasing prices of dwelling, legalizing grownup use of marijuana, defending entry to abortion and investing in public colleges. Whereas Democrats have rallied behind these insurance policies for years, the 4 factors come because the nation faces altering legal guidelines and rising inflation.

Home Democratic Chief Jennifer Konfrst stated that the proposals are usually not simply necessary looking forward to the 2023 state legislative session, however for the upcoming election as nicely.

“We’ve got heard from Iowans that these are the issues that they need, these are the issues Democrats struggle for, too,” Konfrst stated. “So we wish to make certain Iowans know the place we stand.”

Each chambers of Iowa’s legislature have Republican majorities, and Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has held workplace since 2017. Whereas election forecasters predict the GOP will retain management over a lot of Iowa’s state authorities, Konfrst stated that many conservative objectives don’t align with the wants or needs of Iowans. She pointed to Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Ballot outcomes lately that confirmed a majority of Iowans supported authorized leisure and medical use of marijuana, in addition to authorized abortion in most or all circumstances.

The purpose of defending reproductive freedom comes as Iowa navigates the aftermath of the U.S. and state Supreme Court docket choices that acknowledged abortion will not be a constitutional proper. Reynolds didn’t name a particular session to cross abortion laws this summer season, however she has known as for courtroom motion re-implementing beforehand handed laws. In August, the governor filed a courtroom transient asking for an Iowa choose to carry the injunction blocking enforcement of the state’s fetal-heartbeat legislation.

The Home Democrats’ proposal opposes the governor’s actions, in addition to different potential strikes to limit or ban the medical process. It additionally requires Iowa to formally codify the proper to abortion in its state structure.

To be able to amend the state structure, each chambers of the Iowa legislature should approve a proposal in two consecutive common assemblies. Democrats are hoping to achieve floor on the Iowa statehouse throughout this yr’s common election however are presently the minority occasion in each the Iowa Home and Senate. Konfrst acknowledged {that a} proposal like an abortion modification will not be one thing that may occur “in a single day,” however stated the occasion was dedicated to combatting anti-abortion measures within the meantime.

“If we will cease a complete ban and permit some exemptions, that’s a pleasant beginning place,” she stated. “However our purpose is to guard and defend reproductive freedom on this state and we are going to try this by a constitutional modification and each manner we will earlier than then.”

The platform additionally straight opposes Reynolds’ plan for state-funded personal college scholarships, a cornerstone subject in each the governor’s re-election marketing campaign and statehouse Republican primaries this June. Democrats known as for a rise in funding to public colleges, in addition to the state’s child-care system.