DES MOINES – A bill introduced by Governor Kim Reynolds to define a man and woman in state law is on the fast track to approval. Republican leaders in the Iowa Hosuse passed HSB 649 on Tuesday in both subcommittee and full committee, despite protests by transgender rights activists, according to WHO-13. While some provisions were removed, the bill requires birth certificates to have a person’s gender at birth based on reproductive systems.

WASHINGTON D.C. – Iowa’s four congressional representatives all voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in what was a failed effort to do so by GOP leadership. The Des Moines Register reports four House Republicans joined Democrats to attempt to remove Mayorkas, who is responsible for enforcing security measures at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Des Moines Register reports Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn, and Randy Feenstra all moved to impeach.

JEFFERSON – A Jefferson man who is accused of kidnapping his son has pled not guilty to the crime. Raccoon Valley Radio reports 34-year-old Brandon Duong’s court-appointed attorney Mark Rasmussen entered a not guilty plea in Greene County District Court on Monday to the Class B Felony charge of second degree kidnapping-armed with a dangerous weapon. Brandon is accused of taking his seven-year-old son Bryson from Greene County Elementary School on January 30th without permission. A statewide Amber Alert was issued, and according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, law enforcement found Brandon’s vehicle in Plymouth County, where a chase ensued.

CEDAR RAPIDS – A pair of Iowa couples are suing a company after they claim defective products ruined efforts to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization. KCRG-TV reports the pairs from Cedar Rapids and Stanwood are suing CooperSurgical over defective culture media, the liquid in a petri dish where fertilization occurs.