Capitol Notebook: Iowa bill to require fathers to offer financial support during pregnancy shelved

DES MOINES — In a rare legislative move, Iowa House Republicans on Thursday shelved their own bill designed to require fathers to financially support mothers for costs associated with pregnancy after Democrats pointed out what they believed to be serious legal issues with the proposal.

As legislators debated the proposed legislation Thursday on the Iowa House floor, two Democratic state lawmakers, Rep. Brian Meyer, a lawyer from Des Moines, and Rep. Megan Srinivas, a doctor from Des Moines, said that based on their reading of the bill, it would allow for a man with ill intentions to force a pregnant woman to be subjected to an in utero paternity test without her consent.

Such tests can threaten the health or even life of the fetus, Srinivas noted.

“What concerns me is mother, against her will, could be forced to have a big jab directly into her body, directly into the space where she is growing a child, at risk of losing the pregnancy without her consent,” Srinivas said during debate. “That doesn’t sound like we’re respecting the mother or the child.”

Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, said the bill, House File 2363, was designed to hold fathers financially accountable through a mother’s pregnancy.

Once Srinivas completed her remarks, Republican House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, deferred on the bill, which removed it from floor debate while keeping it eligible for consideration later this session.

Windschitl said later that based on concerns raised during debate, the bill will be put on pause while legislators consider ways to improve it.

Civil asset forfeiture constrained

All assets seized by law enforcement officers would be a part of the criminal forfeiture process, and would be returned to the individual unless that person is convicted, under legislation that was given unanimous approval by the Iowa House.

The bill, House File 2560, is model legislation from the conservative, Libertarian-minded Institute for Justice. The organization said such policy is needed to better balance the rights of Iowa property owners with law enforcement’s ability to seize property during investigations.

Democratic Rep. Rick Olson, of Des Moines, called it fair and progressive, and Republican Rep. Phil Thompson, of Boone, said it was about fairness and access to due process.

The bill passed with a 93-0 vote and is now eligible for consideration in the Iowa Senate.

House moves to restrict nuisance strip clubs

Iowa House lawmakers passed a bill that would allow cities to limit the hours of strip clubs they determine to be a danger to public safety.

The city of Davenport has lobbied for the bill, and Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel told lawmakers during a subcommittee meeting last month the establishments have caused significant public safety concerns.

The bill, House File 2334, would allow a county attorney or city attorney to sue a strip club and request a court order to limit the hours from noon to 10 p.m. if they determine a public safety nuisance. The court could also prohibit alcohol on the premises.

An establishment could be considered a public safety nuisance if someone on or near the property fires a gun, assaults another person with a dangerous weapon or engages in a riot at least three times.

The court could impose additional sanctions on the establishment after trial if they determine a public safety nuisance exists.

Similar action covering bars was signed into law in 2022, but officials say that law does not cover establishments that don’t serve alcohol.

“This comes to us through law enforcement, this is something that they asked for and this will be of great assistance to them as they continue to make our streets safer,” said Rep. Mike Vondran, a Republican from Davenport.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau