Photo: SimpleImages / Moment / Getty Images
(Iowa) -- An appeals court is vacating an injunction blocking an Iowa law regarding sexually explicit materials Iowa schools.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 496 into law in 2023, but the law has been blocked since March of 2025 due to litigation. On Monday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to vacate the preliminary injunction against the law, which prohibits classroom instruction regarding gender identity and sexual orientation from Kindergarten through 6th grade and prohibits sexually explicit material from school libraries.
The law was challenged in court by the ALCU and has received criticism from the organization regarding certain provisions of the law, arguing the language for what is considered "sexually explicit" is too vague. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's office supported the court's decision to vacate the temporary injunction against the law, calling it "a huge win for Iowa parents."
The court's full decision is available online.