CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Sen. Kara Warme (R-Ames) introduces her daughter Skylar on the Senate floor.

This week I took the most important vote of my short time as an Iowa senator. My daughter, Skylar, joined me at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday, and it was a joy to introduce her on the Senate floor and have her by my side during such an important day.

Please know that I spent many hours in consideration and prayer over Senate File 418, which solidifies the definitions of “sex,” “male,” and “female” in Iowa law and removes special protected status for “gender identity” in the Iowa civil rights code. I listened and talked to doctors, pastors, mental health professionals, and many constituents, including mothers of transgender children. I have tremendous compassion for children with gender dysphoria and for everyone who has spoken to me on this matter.

As you may remember from my campaign, I was a high school and collegiate runner and am now a mom to two active girls. Protecting girls’ sports was a key tenet of my campaign and continues to be a priority for me and many in this state. The legislature has passed several bills protecting girls’ sports and protecting girls in locker rooms and changing rooms. Some of these bills are actively being challenged in court due to the inclusion of gender identity in Iowa’s civil rights code. That’s one of the main reasons I voted YES on this bill.

Contrary to what many are saying, this change to Iowa law would not create a license to discriminate, nor does it devalue any person. I value every person in my district and in this state. All the constitutional and legal protections for Iowans remain based on their individual humanity. Most states do not have gender identity in their civil rights code, and the lack of it has not created additional discrimination or higher rates of suicide.

SF 418 clearly defines male and female to protect the hard-fought rights of women in our state. It protects our right to compete in sports on an even playing field and our right to safety and privacy in locker rooms, jails, and domestic violence shelters. If we don’t have a clear definition of female, how can we protect the rights of females?

You elected me to promote and pass clear and consistent policy that provides a safe and stable environment for Iowans, and that is what I believe this bill does.

You also elected me to juggle many topics and visitors, even in an emotional week like this one. I welcomed and listened to hard-working physical therapists, athletic trainers, Pork Producers, and Cattlemen’s Association members.

In committee work, my YSS colleagues and contacts across other behavioral health agencies were a wonderful resource in evaluating and ultimately voting in the Health & Human Services Committee to advance SSB 1120, a bill that will support high-acuity youth struggling with behavioral health crises. With my colleagues on the Technology Committee, we advanced a bipartisan bill to address growing concerns around digital financial asset kiosks and financial scams that primarily target the elderly.

In other news, the bipartisan support for the cell phone bill is growing! The bill has now successfully passed the House Education Committee and is eligible for floor debate in both chambers. The goal is simple: to give Iowa students the freedom to learn without the distractions of cell phones. I believe this bill will create a safer, more focused learning environment for all students in our state.

As always, thank you for your ongoing trust and support. Your voices and concerns matter greatly to me, and I will continue to fight for policies that benefit our communities and families.

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Kara Warme, a Republican from Ames, represents District 26 in the Iowa Senate.