Iowa Settles $85,000 Lawsuit Over Transgender Bathroom Ban at State Capitol

The state of Iowa has agreed to pay $85,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a group of LGBTQ+ students and leaders who were expelled from the Iowa Capitol in 2020 after transgender students attempted to use bathrooms matching their gender identities. The incident involved Iowa State Patrol troopers ordering the students to leave the building and barring their bathroom access, despite Iowa law at the time protecting the right to use bathrooms corresponding to gender identity. The students filed the lawsuit in 2022, alleging discrimination, harassment, and violation of their constitutional rights. The settlement, approved by the State Appeal Board in 2025, does not require the state to admit wrongdoing but acknowledges the students' exercise of constitutional and civil rights. Notably, a 2025 change in Iowa law removed gender identity protections from the Civil Rights Act, which state attorneys say would prevent similar lawsuits in the future. Advocates see the settlement as a reaffirmation of equality under the law for LGBTQ+ Iowans despite recent legislative rollbacks.