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Iowa Senate blocks funds for sex reassignment surgery Iowa Senate votes 31-19 for HF 766 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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THIS IS THE SECOND APARTMENT FIRE IN URBANDALE IN SIX DAYS. AT THE STATEHOUSE, THE SENATE HAS INTRODUCED A LAST-MINUTE PROPOSAL TO BLOCK PLANNED PARENTHOOD FROM PROVIDING SEX EDUCATION. >> IT WOULD ALSO BLOCK MEDICAID FROM COVERING TRANSITION SURGERY FOR TRANSGENDER IOWANS. >> IT’S SHAMEFUL THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD PUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL AGENDA ABOVE THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS. DENYING ANY IOWAN HEALTHCARE OR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR OWN BODY IS DENYING THEM THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS >> THAT AMENDMENT HAS MANY DEMOCRATS AND THOSE IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY UPSET. STACY: -- STACEY: KCCI CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER CYNTHIA FODOR IS LIVE AT THE STATEHOUSE WITH REACTION. AFTER A HEATED DEBATE THEY JUST VOTED ON THIS BILL AND THEY APPROVED IT. DEMOCRATS WERE UPSET THE AMENDMENT WAS THROWN INTO A BUDGET BILL AT THE LAST-MINUTE, ON WHAT MAY BE THE LAST DAY OF THE SESSION HERE. >> I PHILOSOPHICALLY DISAGREE WITH THE TAXPAYERS PAYING FOR ANY KIND OF SURGERY, SUCH AS BREAST AUGMENTATION OR INCLUDING THE SURGERY TO CHANGE YOUR SEXES. CYNTHIA: SENATOR BRAD ZAUN SAYS THE AMENDMENT TO BLOCK MEDICAID FROM COVERING TRANSITIONS FOR TRANSGENDER IOWANS IS ABOUT SAVING TAXPAYERS MONEY. >> WE’VE BEEN TOLD 400 PEOPLE ARE ON THE WAITING LIST. SURGERIES COST $100,000 APIECE. THAT’S $40 MILLION, AND THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TO MENTAL HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY. >> WE BELIEVE THOSE ARE WAY OVERBLOWN. THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE WITH ANY OF THE PUBLICLY-AVAILABLE DATA WE HAVE. CYNTHIA: THE SPOKESPERSON FOR ONE IOWA, WHO REPRESENTS THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, SAY LAWMAKERS SHOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE NORMAL CHANNELS OF MOVING THIS THROUGH COMMITTEES, WITH A CHANCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, INSTEAD OF DROPPING IT IN THE END OF SESSION. >> WE’RE EXTREMELY UPSET THIS COULD HAVE RUN THROUGH THE USUAL PROCESSES BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE NECESSARY MEDICAL CARE FROM A GROUP PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN GOING TO TALK TO ABOUT IT. THAT’S NOT GOOD PUBLIC POLICY. CYNTHIA: THE AMENDMENT IS IN RESPONSE TO A COURT RULING LAST MONTH. THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES HAD ARGUED TRANSITION SURGERY WAS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL OR COSMETIC REASONS. BUT THE ACLU FILED A LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF THESE TWO WOMEN WHO WERE DENIED COVERAGE. THE STATE SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZED THE IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS ACT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY, AND CONCLUDED THE SURGERY WAS MEDICALLY NECESSAR THE BILL JUST MOMENTS AGO, AS WE SAID, PAST THE SENATE, 31-19. IT OVER TO THE HOUSE NOW, AND THE HOUSE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE IT UP PROBABLY TONIGHT, SINCE THIS SESSION IS EXPECTED TO END, I AM TOLD