Season 2 - Episode 24: Zombieland

🧟‍♂️ Zombieland at the Capitol?

Some bills may be “dead”…but in Iowa, they don’t always stay that way.

In Episode 24 of Deciding Iowa, we break down how library-related legislation, stopped earlier in the session, has resurfaced through an amendment that has nothing to do with the original bill.

➡️ Requires book-by-book review of materials before minors can access them
➡️ Shifts control away from local library boards
➡️ Removes professional standards and accreditation
➡️ Adds major responsibilities… with no funding

All introduced late in the game, limiting debate and public input.

It’s complicated. It’s fast-moving. And it matters.

We’re here to help make sense of it.
🎥 Watch “Zombieland” and decide for yourself.

📌 Follow along as we track what happens next.

#Zombieland #DecidingIowa #IowaPolitics #PublicPolicy #LeavePublicLibrariesAlone #PublicLibrariesRock 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello, Bremer County. Welcome back to Deciding Iowa.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

I'm Dr. Sean Oldbrick, and I'm a cancer scientist, biochem prof, and house district fifty-seven candidate.

SPEAKER_01 0:08

And I'm Dr. Emily Bavers. I'm a physician, mom of three, and a health advocate.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

There were a number of bills this year that targeted libraries.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Unfortunately, nearly all of them didn't make it past the funnel.

SPEAKER_00 0:19

But nothing truly dies in the legislature.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

It's like zombie land up in here. Senophile 2432, a bill about city health departments, has been amended to include language that has actually nothing at all to do with city health departments.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

But yeah, I wonder what it has to do with. The amendment H H two H 8260 would impose a requirement that libraries review all materials book by book before they can be access accessed by a minor, and that is without any additional funding support to do this review.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

You know, it also strips authority from local library boards and places it under city council control instead.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

There are other things to this amendment, including removal of professional library standards and accreditation by the American Library Association, over zealous removal of library funding for a single violation.

SPEAKER_01 1:15

Yikes. Well, to emphasize, you know, this amendment is not at all related to city health departments. And by resurrecting this anti-library legislation, now they're effectively limiting any meaningful debate and public input on this measure.

SPEAKER_00 1:32

This is heavy-handed. This is partisan politics. This is anti-democratic, anti-freedom of speech, anti-education of the public. In short, this is bullshit. Passing this bill with the amended language language will have serious negative consequences to the ability of our public libraries to serve Iowans.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

Couldn't have said it better myself. Please follow and stay tuned to see what happens with this amendment and other bills as we wind down this legislative season.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Until then, be well, Iowa.