Meeting Public Comments

Sandy Wilson [Citizen Engagement]

Citizen Engagement declares IN FAVOR of HSB 670.

Holly Oppelt [League of Women Voters of Iowa]

Current law recruits women to leadership positions, and serving on boards and commissions gives women experience, skills, and confidence to run for elected office. Current law ensures no one is left out, especially women.If Iowa wants to maintain its position as a leader, it must innovate and find ways to encourage women to take leadership roles to advance Iowa's position in government, business, and industry. Please vote no on repealing gender balance for appointive bodies.

Linda Schreiber []

Instead of ending the gender balance requirement, the Iowa legislature should support and recruit women. The current laws only requirement is that a 90day search be undertaken to recruit women. Encouraging women to serve on state boards and commissions may encourage women to run for office it would be wonderful if our elected officials achieved gender balance. History tells us gender imbalance will not correct itself. Too often women's voices are overlooked. If Iowa is to achieve fairness and equity, women must have leadership roles on its boards and commissions to achieve gender equity. Gender balance is good for Iowa. If Iowa wants to be a leader, it must maintain innovation and find ways to encourage women to take leadership roles to advance Iowa's position in government, business, and industry. Women represent 50% of the population facts show that women take responsibilities seriously. They are shouldering economic responsibility for their families. U.S. Census Quick Facts for Iowa reports the female civilian labor force population over 16 years is 62.7% for 20172021. Vote no on HSB 670 to show your support for Iowa women.

Jocelyn Krueger []

Are we giving up on current law which only states boards should seek gender balance "if possible"??? It sounds like we are giving up on providing women with experience, skills, and confidence to run for elected office, create new organizations or businesses. So much for all the talk creating spaces for women. The rhetoric that says we must "protect women and women's spaces" only counts when punching down to our trans, nonbinary neighbors, or when attacking women's bodily autonomy. But when there is a fragile women's space created after generations of women fought to have representation and say in government and corporate bodies, instead of strengthening it, we throw it out the window. Hypocrisy!

Diane Duncan-Goldsmith []

As you know HSB 670 will repeal Code section 69.16A which requires gender balance requirements on appointive bodies established in the Code. The bill will eliminate the gender balance requirements. There is absolutely no reason to make this change. Currently more than a third of our boards do not have gender balance, since women filling only 38% of all board positions in spite of the fact Iowas population is just about equally divided between men and women. Iowa boards have much more balanced compositions when compared to other states without this requirement. Almost all state boards and commissions already comply, so the current law is clearly not an obstacle. Therefore there is no need to repeal the law Current law only requires 90 days to apply a good faith effort to recruit to fill the gender balance requirement. So there is no reason to say boards cannot comply with the current guidance. Current law recruits women to leadership positions, and serving on boards and commissions gives women experience, skills, and confidence to run for elected office The current requirement encourages women to take leadership roles which continue to advance the states position in government, business, and industry. Facts show that women take responsibilities seriously. Women are shouldering economic responsibility for their families: U.S. Census Quick Facts for Iowa reports the percentage of the female civilian labor force population over 16 years is 62.7% for the period 20172021. On the eve of the pandemic, women's labor force participation rate was 59.2%. As of Sept. 2, 2022, it dropped to 58.4% reflecting women leaving the workforce to care for families and other responsibilities.