Reynolds celebrates her governorship at conservative Christian summit

Gov. Kim Reynolds celebrated her career as governor at The Family Leadership Summit Friday and applauded legislation that she said could close Iowa’s remaining Planned Parenthood clinics.

Reynolds spoke to hundreds of attendees at a daylong event sponsored by the Family Leader, an influential Christian-right group that lobbies for conservative policies at the Statehouse. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders headlined the event.

She recounted several policies enacted during  her governorship, including the passing of the “fetal heartbeat” law, House File 737. The 2023 law bans abortion when cardiac activity is detected, as early as six weeks of pregnancy. She told Summit attendees that there is “no effort she is prouder of,” and mentioned “as of today, abortions in Iowa are down more than 60% since the fall of Roe v. Wade.”

“It means that four of our state’s six Planned Parenthood centers are closing and if the courts allow President Trump’s one, big, beautiful bill to pull the remaining centers’ taxpayer funding, more may be on the way,” Reynolds said. 

The budget mega-bill bans Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood clinics for a year, which the organization says would not only limit access to abortion services in states where it is legal, but also deprive patients of access to standard reproductive care like birth control and cancer screenings. Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit over the legislation, which is now under a temporary restraining order.

Reynolds also cheered the signing of her bill to provide paid parental leave to state employees, which passed through the Iowa Legislature with bipartisan support. This bill went into effect July 1. Under House File 889 Iowa state employees receive four weeks of paid leave for a parent who gives birth and one week for a non-birthing parent.

She also spoke on several bills related to transgender Iowans, including a 2022 law prohibiting trans athletes from competing in women’s sports and celebrated the removal of “gender identity” as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, a decision that has received criticism from advocacy groups. 

She recounted her support for Israel in the form of policy that blocked funds from the Palestinian-led movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions through codifying the definition of antisemitism and helping provide body armor vests for the Israeli Defense Force.

Reynolds announced in April she would not seek reelection, citing a desire to spend more time with her family as a main reason for stepping down. She said Friday she plans to “find some way to continue to stay involved.”

“I love, absolutely love what I am doing, it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve this state as your governor, so we didn’t approach it lightly,” Reynolds said. “But I’m missing my family and they’re growing up and my parents are getting older and I want to be there for them, like they’ve been there for me over the past 16 years.”

Reynolds has said she does not plan to endorse a candidate in the GOP primary, but expressed a desire for a successor who would stay the course.

“I hope the next governor of Iowa will build on this grace-built partnership because no matter who’s holding office at the Capitol, we have a duty to safeguard and steward the beautiful gift that we’ve been given,” Reynolds said. “A state where children are valued and the rights of parents are respected. Where taxes and the cost of living are low but character and value run high.”