Iowa Pol Seeks To Exclude Married Gays From Domestic Abuse Bill

Yesterday Iowa state Rep. Chris Hagenow attempted to exclude married gay couples from protection under a domestic abuse law.

Senate File 2357 brings federal laws concerning protective orders and conviction of domestic violence with relation to possession of guns into Iowa’s law. Rep. Chris Hagenow, R-Windsor Heights, offered an amendment that would define the term spouse to be a person of marriage that is valid under Iowa law that says marriage is between one man and one woman. The Iowa Supreme Court, last year, ruled the law was unconstitutional, which Rep. Rick Olson, D-Des Moines, pointed out on the House floor. Ultimately the proposal was deemed not germane to the bill. Hagenow’s call to suspend the rules to move forward anyway failed, largely along a party vote.

LGBT rights group OneIowa blasted Hagenow’s action as “shameful” and has launched an email campaign to him demanding that he cease his attacks on Iowa’s LGBT community.