Meeting Public Comments

Grace Rogers

AGAINST. Again with the comments not transferring when a meeting is rescheduled (see attachment for 14 public comments left on original meeting)... Fett and Salmon are at it again. SF 2072 (Salmon's bill, which is not scheduled yet) is exactly the same as this one. It modifies punishment for "DEI ban" violations to require (if person bringing legal action prevails) termination of employment of the person who committed the violation, termination of the supervisor, if they were aware of the violation, and revocation of any license, etc held by those terminated. It also authorizes any "plaintiff" to bring civil action against the school district, for a minimum of $50,000. Your constituents OVERWHELMINGLY oppose this bill so do your job and represent them. DO NOT PASS THIS BILL.

Doreen Cruz

Please vote no on this bill. Don't you all have bigger things to worry about like I don't know our GDP or having clean water for us to drink? Cruelty is the point we get it. Stop with this nonsense and do something that is going to help the people of Iowa.

Shannan Barnes

Do not vote for this HF2123

Susan Olesen [Retired]

The President of the United States proved recently that never have we needed DEI more than we do right now. He posted a picture of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, making clear how little he and many others understand the economic impact that occurs when we advertise were racist and dont like LGBTQ folks much either here in Iowa. Hate limits job opportunities and slows the economy. I just read an article from the Cato Institute that noted, Without immigrants, US government public debt at all levels would be at least 205% of GDPnearly twice its 2023 level, David Bier Compared to the US born population, migrants from every education level reduced the debt to GDP ratio from 1994 2023.I would suggest to you that Donald Trump and many in the Iowa legislature need more DEI, not less. This bill is mean and ridiculous and it makes Iowa look like we are a bunch of fools. Im beginning to think we are with the nonsense this legislature comes up with.

Jeffrey Anderson [Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church]

The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church support diversity, equity, and inclusion and we advocate for polices in support of them as acts of restorative justice, seeking to honor and advance ALL persons and to eliminate exclusion and discrimination. We have opposed, and will continue to oppose, legislation that seeks to eliminate offices, policies, courses, and discussion of topics characterized as DEI, and on that basis alone we would oppose this bill. We also value reason, which depends on critical thinking and intellectual freedom, and this bill would appear to be an attempt to stifle both by imposing penalties that are extremely punitive, not only costing teachers and administrators their current jobs, but eliminating the possibility of their future employment in the state by revoking their licenses, and imposing monetary penalties on districts that are far greater than those associated with felonies. We strongly encourage you to reject HF 2123.

Rev. Kathleen Sides

I could spend way more than my allotted 1000 words to tell you all the reasons this bill is abhorrent. I imagine the members of this committee already know what they are, and they have been expressed well in other comments. Suffice it say, this is a bad bill, as are ALL of the efforts to vilify and outlaw DEI as though those efforts are somehow necessary and sacred rather than racist, ignorant, UnAmerican and UnChristian. Please vote NOT to advance this travesty of a bill any further!

Monique Shore

Please vote against this harmful bill. As a member of the United Methodist Church, I believe that this bill goes against Christian values. Our denomination supports DEI policies as acts of restorative justice. HF 2123 would impose penalties that are far too extreme and will be harmful to the Iowa economy if passed. Please focus on things that will actually improve our quality of life and not unneccessary culture wars.

Laura Blaser

I am opposed to this bill. The folks who take such umbrage to the mere concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion have some serious selfreflection to do. Bills like this are setting us back and harming our reputation as a state. Vote NO.

Angela Tague [self]

Please vote no on HF 2123.This bill would backstep civil rights in Iowa. This is NOT something to be proud of. "When we know better, we should do better". This would not help Iowa to be better!

David Anderson

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are merely other words for the principles our nation was founded on. Ignoring or, even worse, punishing them will merely drive people out of our state. Isn't our brain drain bad enough? We need to be attracting people to our state instead. Otherwise we're going to end up with a state where everyone under 50 has moved out, and everyone over 50 is dying of cancer.