After an all-night debate, the Iowa House and Senate passed the highly protested bills, House File 291 and Senate File 213, Thursday. 

The bill would abolish employment negotiation rights of public sector workers that concern health insurance options, vacation days and overtime pay. However, the bill excluded public safety workers, such as police officers and firefighter.

For three days, protesters and public workers have flooded the State Capitol asking for the Republican-controlled House to reject the bill. Democrats, who have opposed the bill since it’s introduction, were also among the protesters, and asking their fellow lawmakers to vote against the collective bargaining bill.

In a comment to The Gazette, State Sen. Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids), stated that the bill had no fundamental use in Iowa.

“That’s one of the fundamental points here — which is this bill is not being asked for by labor or management across the state,” Hogg said to The Gazette. “This is a bill that is driven by ideological interests, many of which are funded from outside the state, and it really isn’t about Iowans. Because if it was about Iowans, you wouldn’t see that happening.” 

A few Republican lawmakers also expressed distain over the bill’s added amendments. Reps. David Heaton of (R-Mount Pleasant), Shannon Lundgren (R-Peosta), Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield), Tom Moore (R-Griswold), Mary Ann Hanusa (R-Council Bluffs) and Andy McKean (R-Anamosa), joined their Democratic House and Senate colleagues in protest leading up to the vote. 

Teachers, union workers and other public officials descended on the Capitol hoping to persuade lawmakers to make the right decision for their fellow Iowa workers. For public school teachers, the collective bargaining bill may limit the amount of quality teachers willing to work within the school district. 

 “This is really important to stand by all these teachers and other public servants,” said Carmen Argumedo, a teacher with Des Moines Public Schools, to The Des Moines Register. “This is all we have. We are educating the future.”

However, their protests were futile. The house passed the bill in a 53 to 47 vote, while the Senate passed by a 29-2 vote. Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to sign the bills into law in the coming days.