The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, director of the ADF Center for Public Policy, regarding Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signing Tuesday of two bills, H.F. 571, the Medical Ethics Defense Act, and S.F. 2231, which protects free speech for K-12 students and removes anti-religious provisions from state law:
“At the core of our constitutional freedoms are the rights to speak freely, exercise your religion, and live consistent with your conscience without fear of government punishment. Today, Iowa took bold steps to protect these freedoms in state law. First, the MED Act provides comprehensive protections for medical conscience and freedom of speech for medical professionals throughout the state. It prevents nurses, doctors, and other health professionals from being forced to violate their beliefs and their Hippocratic oath to do no harm.
“Additionally, S.F. 2231 ensures that Iowa’s public-school students are inspired, challenged, and encouraged to freely express their beliefs at school, protecting their voice and viewpoints from being silenced. And it repeals discriminatory provisions in Iowa law that exclude religious organizations and individuals from publicly available benefits simply because they are religious. Censorship and religious bigotry have no place in our laws.
“We applaud Senate President Amy Sinclair, Sens. Sandy Salmon and Jeff Taylor, Reps. Bill Gustoff and Samantha Fett, and Gov. Reynolds for protecting free speech, religion, and medical conscience rights for countless Iowans for generations to come.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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