Yes, Iowa Republicans filed a bill to ban same-sex marriage. No, it's not going anywhere.

Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register
·2 min read
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A group of Republicans has introduced bills to ban same-sex marriage and to amend the Iowa Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

Democrats have their own bill that would bring Iowa's law in line with the 2009 Iowa Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

None of those bills have been assigned a subcommittee hearing and almost certainly won't advance ahead of a legislative "funnel" deadline Friday.

"I don't expect any of those bills to move," said House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford.

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How would the Iowa bills to ban same-sex marriage work?

House Joint Resolution 8, which is cosponsored by eight House Republicans, would amend the Iowa Constitution by adding a section defining marriage.

It would state: "In accordance with the laws of nature and nature's God, the state of Iowa recognizes the definition of marriage to be the solemnized union between one human biological male and one human biological female."

Amendments to the Iowa Constitution must be passed in two consecutive sessions of the Iowa Legislature, with an election in between, before they can placed on a statewide ballot for an up or down vote.

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Dawn BarbouRoske, second from left, of Iowa City, kisses her partner, Jen BarbouRoske, after learning of the Iowa Supreme Court ruling in favor of legalizing gay marriage in Iowa on Friday, April 3, 2009 in Des Moines. Between them is their daughter Bre, 6. Their other daughter, McKinley, 11, reacts to the ruling a left. (Christopher Gannon/The Des Moines Register)

House File 508, which is also cosponsored by eight Republicans, would say that Iowa recognizes marriage as "a sacred religious sacrament" and no Iowan shall be compelled to recognize any same-sex marriage as valid.

It would state that Iowa considers portions of the federal Respect for Marriage Act to be null and void for violating the First Amendment's religious protections and the Tenth Amendment by encroaching on the state's powers.

President Joe Biden signed the law in December. It requires the federal government to recognize marriages as long as they were valid in the state where the marriage took place.

It also bans states from denying recognition to out-of-state marriages based on the sex, race, ethnicity or origin of those getting married.

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Opposing bill seeks to add same-sex marriage to Iowa's code

Democrats' bill, House File 509, is sponsored by 30 House Democrats. It would define marriage between two eligible parties as long as they meet all the other requirements under Iowa law.

Members of a crowd applaud and hold up signs at a One Iowa rally at Western Gateway Park in Des Moines on April 3, 2009. The rally was held to celebrate the Iowa Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Varnum v. Brien, which legalized same-sex marriage across the state.
Members of a crowd applaud and hold up signs at a One Iowa rally at Western Gateway Park in Des Moines on April 3, 2009. The rally was held to celebrate the Iowa Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Varnum v. Brien, which legalized same-sex marriage across the state.

A unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision in 2009 made Iowa the third state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, but Rep. Elinor Levin, D-Iowa City, said "our code still does not reflect that."

Although the bill was not assigned a hearing, Levin said "we will be seeing it again" in future years.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa same-sex marriage ban bill introduced by GOP likely won't pass