Iowa Republican committee chair says gender identity bill is "dead"

DES MOINES, Iowa - A Republican committee chair says he won't advance a bill to end gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights act..

Republican State Representative Steven Holt tweeted Wednesday night that "The bill is dead".

Yesterday nine Republican lawmakers proposed a bill to amend the Iowa Rights Act by removing protections against discrimination for transgender people.

The legislature added gender identity to the act in 2007 when Democrats gained control of the state legislature and the governor's office with Chet Culver..

Iowa law currently prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, ancestry and disability.