IAF Files Suit Against Iowa Govornor

April 24, 2025 Des Moines, Iowa — Today the ACLU of Iowa filed a lawsuit in Polk County district court asking that the court order the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds to release several public records relating to the decision to block The Satanic Temple of Iowa from holding an event at the State Capitol Building during the 2024 holiday season.

In June 2024, the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers (IAF) filed a Freedom of Information Request under the Iowa Open Records Act. The formal request asked for communications and documents in the possession of the Governor’s Office relating to the State of Iowa's decision to cancel an Iowa Satanic Temple winter celebration in the rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol, similar to events the group had celebrated there in previous years.

The Governor's Office refused to produce the requested documents, citing "executive privilege," even though what was requested was clearly non-privileged: an executive agency report and documents relating to media preparation. Some relevant materials were turned over, but much was redacted. Also, the Governor's Office provided hundreds of pages of news clippings that mentioned the controversy but which did not actually address the request.

In a related development, the Governor's office today filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register because the newspaper also had been pressing it to produce other public records. The Register had formally requested documents pertaining to allegations about Lutheran Social Services finances. The Governor's lawsuit seeks to block the Register's attempt to find out more about communications in the Governor's office about any alleged misuse of funds.

It's not the first time Gov. Reynolds has come under pressure for failing to produce documents and communications about topics of public interest. The ACLU of Iowa successfully brought a lawsuit against her office because it was not responding to journalists' requests for information about the state's COVID response in a timely manner—or in some cases, at all. In 2023, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that her office is not above the law and her office must comply in a timely manner to public record requests from journalists from a variety of media outlets.

The IAF is an educational and social public interest group based in central Iowa. It focuses on issues such as secular governance, the importance of science, separation of church and state, and a transparent and responsive government.

Jason Benell, IAF president, said, "IAF contends that it is in the interest of the public, regardless of their religious, economic, ethnic, or any other background, that our government be transparent and responsive to the needs of the governed. This is extremely important when it comes to equal protection under the law and a government that respects the rights of all citizens. The Governor’s office has repeatedly refused to respect the rights of Iowans by unjustly and flagrantly asserting executive privilege in order to avoid accountability in matters of public interest. Iowans deserve to know if the government is intentionally discriminating against them, and the current executive in Iowa has shown an unwillingness to respect these fundamental rights. A transparent government is an accountable government and IAF intends to address this grievance by petitioning the courts to ensure the rights of Iowans are protected and transparency laws are respected."

Thomas Story, ACLU of Iowa staff attorney, said, "This lawsuit challenges the Governor’s claim of an unprecedented 'executive privilege' to defy Iowa law. For more than half a century, the Iowa Open Records Act has ensured that the work of the state happens in the open. Now, the Governor’s Office has decided it alone gets to decide what the public sees. The Iowa Constitution does not give it this authority.

"The specific documents withheld from the public eye in this case are an executive agency report from the Department of Administrative Services and multiple 'media prep' documents. These are not the kind of sensitive matters of national security and foreign diplomacy that courts have protected from disclosure under executive privilege in the past. It may be embarrassing to the Governor’s Office to reveal its role in denying a religious group equal access to the state capitol building, but that does not give it the right to hide what it did and why it did it."

Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, said, "As a plaintiff in the 2023 lawsuit (mentioned above) against Gov. Reynolds, the Iowa Freedom of Information Council is concerned that the refusal to provide some records concerning the planned Satanic Temple event at the Capitol is a continuation of the governor’s desire to shield from public release documents that might cast her in a negative light. The people of Iowa are entitled to evaluate their governor’s actions. That becomes difficult when the governor tries to hide behind what should be a very narrow interpretation of executive privilege."

IAF Protests Christian Nationalism and The Family Leader

IOWA ATHEISTS AND FREETHINKERS TO PROTEST THE FAMILY LEADER AND CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

Des Moines, IA - Central Iowa based organization Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers will be protesting the Family Leader Summit outside of Veterans Auditorium on July 12th, 2024 in opposition to Christian Nationalism. The protest will begin at 4: PM and is open to the public.

IAF has long been ringing the alarm bells about the threat of Christian Nationalism and will stand in opposition to some of its largest proponents in the state as they hold a summit in Des Moines. The rights of all Iowans are precious and the well being of our democracy depends on a strict wall between church and state, a wall that is explicitly under attack. Only a secular democracy can protect the rights of ALL Iowans, regardless of faith or lack there of, and this Christian Nationalist event seeks to undermine that democracy.

With the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States, as seen explicitly on January 6th 2021, and more recently in the state legislature using religious arguments to justify targeting LGBTQ Iowans, removing the rights of Iowans to their own bodily autonomy, and funneling public funds to sectarian religious institutions, IAF intends to remind the public that church and state are to remain separate.  In order to have freedom OF religion, one must have freedom FROM religion and not be compelled to support or fund any faith with public tax dollars.  

Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers, Inc. (IAF) is a non-profit social and educational group based in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to supporting local atheists, freethinkers, secular humanists, agnostics, and other non-religious people. IAF is a warm and welcoming community of humanists, atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, and non-theists of all types.

Jason Benell

President

Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers

iowaatheists.org

Tell your legislators that giving state funds to private religious schools degrades public education and violates the Constitution.

ACTION ALERT — Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers

Tell your legislators that giving state funds to private religious schools degrades public education and violates the Constitution.

Senate Study Bill 1065 has been introduced in the Iowa Legislature and requires our response. This bill is part of the Governor's agenda to actively undermine public education in Iowa. While this alone should be enough to justify our response, such voucher programs also direct taxpayer funds to private religious schools. This bill violates the principle of separation of church and state. If passed, will significantly undermine secular government in Iowa. 

Please contact your legislators, as well as the legislators on the Education Subcommittee (Sinclair, Zaun, and Quirmbach) to voice your opposition to this bill. 

Included below is a sample letter that you may use, edit, or simply draft your own. 

To find your State Representatives and Senators, go to https://openstates.org/ and type in your address. Click on your legislator’s names for their emails and websites.

To sign up for future IAF Action Alerts, send a request to actionalerts@iowaatheists.org. Thank you for your support.

Credit to Alexis Dawn.

Sample letter:

Dear [legislator]:

I write today to register my opposition to SSB 1065. 

While the Iowa Legislature should focus on strengthening public education, — especially in the face of COVID-19's effect on Iowa's students — it is instead creating a voucher program that improperly directs public funds to religious schools. This violates the separation of church and state, one of the most revered facets of American government. 

Such voucher programs have been shown to be ineffectual in improving educational opportunities for children, while undermining secular government. Public funds should be directed to public schools, not churches. 

Again, I oppose SSB1065 and all such bills undermining public education, as well as any bill that directs public funds to religious schools. 

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Call Your State Senators Now! The Proposed Iowa Constitutional Amendment Was Just Voted Out of the House.

ACTION ALERT — Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers

Call Your State Senators Now! The Proposed Iowa Constitutional Amendment Was Just Voted Out of the House.

Women deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisions.

House Joint Resolution 5, a proposed amendment to Iowa’s Constitution to ban abortion, was just voted out of the Iowa House. If passed, it would ban abortion and prevent public funding the event that Roe v Wade is overturned in the future. We can’t let that happen. 

HJR 5, if adopted, would be published and then referred to the next general assembly (90th) for adoption, before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.

Last year, the House failed to pass the bill, putting it off until now. Please contact your legislators and persuade them to reject it again this year. 

Iowa women deserve better than this. Iowa women deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisions free of interference from priests and politicians. Religious belief is never a valid excuse to push faith and dogma into laws and public policy.

Contact your legislators and tell them to vote against this amendment to Iowa’s Constitution. We include two sample letters below. Use or adapt one of them or write your own. Personalized letters are always more effective. Do it today. Conservatives in the Statehouse intend to fastback this bill. It may be the first bill approved by both houses this session.

To find your State Representatives and Senators, go to https://openstates.org/ and type in your address. Click on your legislator’s names for their emails and websites.

To sign up for future IAF Action Alerts, send a request to actionalerts@iowaatheists.org. Thank you for your support.

Credits to Agents Jena Luksatich and Amanda Dawn for the model letters.

Model letter #1

Dear [Legislator]:

I am writing to register my strong opposition to HSB 41, a bill introduced by the House Judiciary Committee that aims to eliminate the right to abortion or the public funding of abortion in the State of Iowa. HSB 41 would take away the right of a woman’s freedom to her body and life.

This legislation is a dangerous attempt to block access to safe, reproductive care. Making abortion illegal does not stop unwanted pregnancies from taking place. When abortion is made illegal, many women may look to unauthorized entities to perform the procedure. This is clearly a greater threat to life and health. For those who fear that abortion might be used as a contraceptive, studies have shown that as few as 8% of the women who undergo abortion did not use contraceptives.

I urge you to argue against HSB 41. The women in your district appreciate you standing up to protect their reproductive health and ensuring that all Iowans access to safely and legally exercise bodily autonomy. Please see that this right is preserved.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Model letter #2

Dear [legislator]:

I write today to oppose HSB41 and any constitutional amendment restricting abortion rights in the state of Iowa.

It is undisputed that the proposed amendment is a direct response to the Iowa Supreme Court's decision in Planned Parenthood v. State of Iowa. The Iowa Supreme Court followed well-established federal precedent in making their decision. It has long been held at the federal level that pregnant persons have a right to healthcare, including abortions, and that an undue burden on that right contravenes the US Constitution. 

Additionally, this proposed constitutional amendment would seem to originate in religious beliefs. I oppose legislation imposing another's religious beliefs on Iowans of different or no faiths.

Finally, statistics consistently demonstrate that access to safe, legal abortions is correlated with a lower rate of induced abortions. This constitutional amendment, should it be successful, along with Iowa's recent opposition to reasonable family planning care, has the potential to result in the opposite of its aim - to reduce abortions in the state of Iowa.  

Again, I oppose HSB41, and hope you will consider my opinion in this matter. 

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Call Your State Senators Now! The Proposed Iowa Constitutional Amendment Was Just Voted Out of the House.

ACTION ALERT — Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers

Call Your State Senators Now! The Proposed Iowa Constitutional Amendment Was Just Voted Out of the House.

Women deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisions.

House Joint Resolution 5, a proposed amendment to Iowa’s Constitution to ban abortion, was just voted out of the Iowa House. If passed, it would ban abortion and prevent public funding the event that Roe v Wade is overturned in the future. We can’t let that happen.

HJR 5, if adopted, would be published and then referred to the next general assembly (90th) for adoption, before being submitted to the electorate for ratification.

Last year, the House failed to pass the bill, putting it off until now. Please contact your legislators and persuade them to reject it again this year.

Iowa women deserve better than this. Iowa women deserve the right to make their own healthcare decisions free of interference from priests and politicians. Religious belief is never a valid excuse to push faith and dogma into laws and public policy.

Contact your legislators and tell them to vote against this amendment to Iowa’s Constitution. We include two sample letters below. Use or adapt one of them or write your own. Personalized letters are always more effective. Do it today. Conservatives in the Statehouse intend to fastback this bill. It may be the first bill approved by both houses this session.

To find your State Representatives and Senators, go to https://openstates.org/ and type in your address. Click on your legislator’s names for their emails and websites.

To sign up for future IAF Action Alerts, send a request to actionalerts@iowaatheists.org. Thank you for your support.

Credits to Agents Jena Luksatich and Amanda Dawn for the model letters.

Model letter #1

Dear [Legislator]:

I am writing to register my strong opposition to HSB 41, a bill introduced by the House Judiciary Committee that aims to eliminate the right to abortion or the public funding of abortion in the State of Iowa. HSB 41 would take away the right of a woman’s freedom to her body and life.

This legislation is a dangerous attempt to block access to safe, reproductive care. Making abortion illegal does not stop unwanted pregnancies from taking place. When abortion is made illegal, many women may look to unauthorized entities to perform the procedure. This is clearly a greater threat to life and health. For those who fear that abortion might be used as a contraceptive, studies have shown that as few as 8% of the women who undergo abortion did not use contraceptives.

I urge you to argue against HSB 41. The women in your district appreciate you standing up to protect their reproductive health and ensuring that all Iowans access to safely and legally exercise bodily autonomy. Please see that this right is preserved.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Model letter #2

Dear [legislator]:

I write today to oppose HSB41 and any constitutional amendment restricting abortion rights in the state of Iowa.

It is undisputed that the proposed amendment is a direct response to the Iowa Supreme Court's decision in Planned Parenthood v. State of Iowa. The Iowa Supreme Court followed well-established federal precedent in making their decision. It has long been held at the federal level that pregnant persons have a right to healthcare, including abortions, and that an undue burden on that right contravenes the US Constitution. 

Additionally, this proposed constitutional amendment would seem to originate in religious beliefs. I oppose legislation imposing another's religious beliefs on Iowans of different or no faiths.

Finally, statistics consistently demonstrate that access to safe, legal abortions is correlated with a lower rate of induced abortions. This constitutional amendment, should it be successful, along with Iowa's recent opposition to reasonable family planning care, has the potential to result in the opposite of its aim - to reduce abortions in the state of Iowa.  

Again, I oppose HSB41, and hope you will consider my opinion in this matter. 

Sincerely,

[Your name]