Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

IA Scorecard 2021-2022

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Iowa Legislature in 2021-2022 and ranks their State Senators and House Representatives based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate

1. Vaccine Mandate Ban

Good Vote: Yes

HF2298 Vaccine Mandate Ban (Passed 29 to 16 on 5/24/2022). Ensures that K-12 students cannot be forced into receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

2. Unemployment Reduction

Good Vote: Yes

HF2355 Unemployment Reduction (Passed 30 to 14 on 4/26/2022). Reduces unemployment benefits in the state by 10 weeks, reducing the number of weeks from 26 to 16.

3. Athletics Based on Sex

Good Vote: Yes

HF2416 Athletics Based on Sex (Passed 31 to 17 on 3/2/2022). Requires that student athletes in public schools, private schools, and universities can only play on sports teams of the gender that is stated on their birth certificate.

4. Critical Race Theory Ban

Good Vote: Yes

HF802 Critical Race Theory Ban (Passed 30 to 18 on 4/28/2021). Restricts the teaching of Critical Race Theory and teachers can no longer teach discriminatory indoctrination.

5. Constitutional Carry

Good Vote: Yes

HF756 Constitutional Carry (Passed 31 to 17 on 3/22/2021). Removes the requirement for a permit to acquire or carry a handgun and when selling a firearm to another private person.

6. Garbage Search

Good Vote: No

SF2296 Garbage Search (Passed 49 to 0 on 2/22/2022).  Allows that no search warrant is needed for a peace officer to look through a person's garbage placed outside of someone’s residence.

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Liz Bennett D SD-039 NA ......
Tony Bisignano D SD-017 0% ------
Joseph Bolkcom D SD-043 0% ------
Nate Boulton D SD-016 0% ------
Mike Bousselot R SD-021 NA ......
Waylon Brown R SD-026 83% +++++-
James Carlin R SD-003 83% +++++-
Claire Celsi D SD-021 0% -.----
Jake Chapman R SD-010 80% +.+++-
Mark Costello R SD-012 83% +++++-
Chris Cournoyer R SD-049 83% +++++-
Dan Dawson R SD-008 83% +++++-
Adrian Dickey R SD-041 83% +++++-
Molly Donahue D SD-037 NA ......
William Dotzler D SD-031 0% ------
Dawn Driscoll R SD-038 83% +++++-
Jeff Edler R SD-036 83% +++++-
Julian Garrett R SD-013 83% +++++-
Eric Giddens D SD-030 0% ------
Tim Goodwin R SD-044 83% +++++-
Jesse Green R SD-024 83% +++++-
Dennis Guth R SD-004 83% +++++-
Robert Hogg D SD-033 0% ..----
Pam Jochum D SD-050 0% ------
Kevin Kinney D SD-039 0% --.-.-
Mike Klimesh R SD-028 83% +++++-
Carrie Koelker R SD-029 83% +++++-
Tim Kraayenbrink R SD-005 80% .++++-
Mark Lofgren R SD-046 83% +++++-
Jim Lykam D SD-045 0% ------
Liz Mathis D SD-034 0% ..----
Charlie McClintock R SD-042 NA ......
Zach Nunn R SD-015 75% +++..-
Janet Petersen D SD-018 0% ------
Herman Quirmbach D SD-023 0% -.----
Amanda Ragan D SD-027 0% ------
Jeff Reichman R SD-042 83% +++++-
Dave Rowley R SD-001 67% +.+..-
Ken Rozenboom R SD-040 83% +++++-
Sandy Salmon R SD-029 NA ......
Jason Schultz R SD-009 80% +++.+-
Tom Shipley R SD-011 83% +++++-
Amy Sinclair R SD-014 80% .++++-
Jackie Smith D SD-007 0% ------
Roby Smith R SD-047 83% +++++-
Annette Sweeney R SD-025 83% +++++-
Jeff Taylor R SD-002 83% +++++-
Todd Taylor D SD-035 0% ------
Sarah Trone Garriott D SD-022 0% ------
Zach Wahls D SD-037 0% ------
Cherielynn Westrich R SD-013 NA ......
Zach Whiting R SD-001 NA ...++.
Jack Whitver R SD-019 83% +++++-
Craig Williams R SD-006 83% +++++-
Cindy Winckler D SD-049 NA ......
Brad Zaun R SD-020 100% +++++.
Daniel Zumbach R SD-048 75% .+.++-

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 0%
Republican 82.1%