DES MOINES – A pair of ISU students asked state lawmakers Wednesday at the Statehouse to pass anti-bullying legislation that would require Iowa schools to adopt policies specifically protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students from harassment.

Companion bills under consideration by the House Education Committee and the Senate Government Oversight Committee would require all Iowa school districts to adopt a statewide bullying policy that defines bullying as any conduct toward a student that creates a hostile environment. The bills would require school principals or an official designated by a principal to carry out a prompt investigation of any bullying or harassment complaint.

Iowans representing 29 cities, 11 colleges and 14 high schools lobbied in favor of the anti-bullying legislation.

Supporters fear the bills may face elimination this week at the end of the Legislature’s first funnel cycle, which requires bills to pass out of a committee to remain eligible for debate.

“All the work we’ve done would just get erased if the bills are eliminated,” said Christopher Williams, sophomore in pre-journalism and mass communication, who lobbied on behalf of the anti-bullying legislation.

Williams, a graduate of Valley High School in West Des Moines, said although the bills don’t apply to Iowa colleges, it is still important to him to see the measures passed.

“I’ve gone through Iowa’s high school system, so I know what it’s like,” he said. “I know harassment goes on.”

Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, said she supports the bill but doesn’t expect it to make it through the funnel week.

Opponents said the measures would be difficult to enforce, and Iowa schools should set their own standards for dealing with bullying.

“I’m not a fan of expanding laws we can’t enforce,” said Rep. O. Gene Maddox, R-Clive. “We need to make it possible for local school districts to go to work on the problem.”

Ryan Delperdang, inter-organization coordinator for the ISU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance, who also traveled to the Capitol, said Iowa State does not have a serious bullying problem.

“It’s not so much bullying or harassment as it is language and acceptance,” said Delperdang, junior in psychology.

“You hear people use slurs, but I don’t think harassment is a big problem.”

Lt. Governor Sally Pederson, who spoke during a press conference at the Capitol, said schools face bullying problems across the state.

“It’s easy to say it’s not happening, but the facts are here,” Pederson said. “It’s not right that any student faces harassment, violence and intimidation in our schools.”