Iowa lawmakers are expected to consider repealing a law that requires state boards and commissions to have an equal number of men and women during the upcoming legislative session.
Ending the requirement is likely to be part of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposal to consolidate and change many of Iowa’s 256 state boards and commissions, which have duties ranging from licensing doctors to advising government officials on pesticide regulations.
One of her top staffers said at a recent Statehouse meeting that Reynolds’ bill will reflect recommendations from the Boards and Commissions Review Committee.
The committee’s final recommendations state that in 1987, when the law took effect, women had not been elected to Iowa’s top public offices. But now, all offices have been held by at least one woman.
“Legislative history clearly indicates the goal of the gender-balance requirement was to place more Iowa women into places of leadership in state government,” the report reads. “But the foregoing makes clear that Iowans have changed their collective mind on any perceived inequities between men and women representing the State of Iowa in leadership positions.”
The report says that the gender balance law prevents nearly half of Iowa’s population from being considered for any board appointment based on an immutable characteristic rather than merit.
“I’m trying to understand why, in 2024, we’ll be talking about whether it’s the right thing to do to ensure that we have an equal number of men and women deciding what’s happening in our state,” said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.
“Gender balance is important,” she said. “A diversity of perspectives on these boards and commissions is important.”
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, said it’s sometimes difficult to find people to serve on state boards, especially those that oversee professions that are dominated by men or women.
“Everyone assumes that you’re just trying to put men on every board,” he said. “That’s not necessarily the case. There are boards that you might want more females. And ultimately, we want the best people on there, the best people that we can find.”
Konfrst said state officials should work harder to fill positions, not give up on gender balance just because it’s hard to achieve.
Cutting and consolidating state boards and commissions
The Boards and Commissions Review Committee is also recommending that lawmakers reduce the number of state boards and commissions by 43%.
Iowa Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen, who chaired the committee, said that would eliminate at least 450 governor-appointed members.
“And although this is fewer appointees, the committee concluded that with the expanded eligibility, and with the greater significance of the remaining boards, the opportunity for impact of these members will increase,” Paulsen said.
He said the changes would also make professional licensing more consistent and effective, which he said would reduce barriers to entry in the workforce while protecting Iowans’ health and safety.
Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, said she’s not opposed to looking at what boards are no longer necessary. But she said lawmakers should be careful in how they approach the consolidation, especially when it comes to issues like elevator safety.
She called the Reynolds administration’s process of developing the recommendations “a sham.”
“It was like a rubber stamp for what the governor wanted,” Jochum said. “And I believe that what they have done is truly silencing the voices of too many Iowans.”
Paulsen said the committee heard from nearly 70 Iowans during a public hearing, and the committee received about 1,300 emails with public comments. He said public input affected the group’s final recommendations.
House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said House Republicans have been looking for feedback on the recommendations to eliminate and consolidate boards and commissions.
“There’s a lot of different constituencies back home that are affected by the report that came out from the committee,” Grassley said. “And so I think that’s going to be one of those bigger topics that happens throughout session with a lot of moving pieces that has a lot of input from the legislature.”
Iowa’s 2024 legislative session is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.
