A campaign platform Iowa State Student Government President Cole Staudt ran on last spring might be finally seeing completion before his term reaches an end.

A bill regarding medical amnesty – SF 415 – passed unanimously 49-0 by the Iowa Senate Wednesday. The bill hopes to provide underage drinkers with immunity from legal prosecution in the case of a medical emergency.

Staudt, along with other regent state university representatives, have been lobbying for the bill to be passed in the Iowa Legislature for months. Staudt said next week they hope to head to the capitol to lobby House leadership.

The bill is currently being managed by Sen. Brad Zaun – who has made multiple headlines this current legislative cycle after introducing a bill looking to end tenure at public universities. 

Staudt said, however, that this bill isn’t about partisan politics. It is rather about protecting students. 

“At the end of the day, we just want to help save lives,” Staudt said.

In shaping the bill and moving it forward, Staudt said the process has been great. He said he has had a lot of constructive conversations with the Iowa Legislature about the future of the bill and said he hopes to see it move forward in the House. 

The bill, should it pass into the law as it currently stands, would “provide immunity from certain criminal offenses and prohibiting certain disciplinary sanctions for persons who report, seek, or require emergency assistance for alcohol overdoses.”

Zaun told the Des Moines Register, “There are 36 other states that have done this. I’m thankful for the students at the universities that came here many, may times lobbying for this bill. 

“It’s important, because reality is there is underage drinking going on on campus, and what this could potentially do is save a life.” 

On the bill passing unanimously though the Senate, Staudt said while he was expecting there to be some people who might not like it, it’s ultimately about student safety. 

Students from all three regent universities have worked together to lobby for the bill, including University of Iowa student body president Rachel Zuckerman. 

“Encourage anyone with an idea to pursue it,” Zuckerman said in February. “The citizen should be an active member in democracy.”