Steven Holt
Steven Holt | |
|---|---|
 Holt in 2021 | |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 12th district | |
| Assumed office January 12, 2015 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 28, 1958 Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Crystal |
| Children | five |
| Residence | Denison, Iowa |
| Profession | businessman |
Steven Christopher Holt (born January 28, 1958) is an American politician and retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He has been serving as a Republican member of the Iowa House of Representatives for District 12[1](Crawford County and parts of Carroll and Shelby Counties) since 2015 and currently chairs the House Judiciary Committee. In the 2024 election for the Iowa House of Representatives, Steven Holt (R) won with 10,269 votes (73.8%), defeating his opponent Dustin Durbin (D), who received 3,643 votes (26.2%).[2]
Early Life and Career
[edit]Holt was born in Greenville, South Carolina, and raised there. After graduating from Spartanburg High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving for 26 years before retiring as a master sergeant in 2004. In 2006, Holt relocated to Denison, Iowa, a town of approximately 8,035 residents in Crawford County, where he became a small business owner and married Cheryl, a Denison High School social sciences teacher who faced disciplinary action in 2019 for using a racial slur during a lesson, prompting student protests and an investigation. [3] Holt said his wife needed to use the word to put the lesson into historical context. Holt's career experience includes owning Movie Magic USA, an eBay store.[2]
Policy Positions
[edit]Holt is known for his conservative policy positions, including restricting abortion access, opposing measures perceived as infringing on the Second Amendment, emphasizing reduced government regulations, supporting school choice initiatives, parental control over education, and aiming to reduce the tax burden on wealthy individuals and corporations.
Efforts to Ban Guaranteed Income Programs
[edit]Holt played a significant role in banning guaranteed income programs in Iowa. He sponsored House File 2319 (HF 2319), which aimed to end a pilot program called UpLift Iowa providing monthly cash stipends to low-income households in central Iowa. Holt argued that such programs promote dependence on government funding and do little to help people improve their job skills, calling such programs "socialism on steroids" during the legislative session. "This is a redistribution of wealth. This is an attack on American values,” he said. [4] Holt cited historical examples of Soviet farmers leaving crops to rot due to government redistribution policies, arguing that such programs are destructive and contrary to American values. [5]
Controversial Civil Rights Legislation
[edit]On February 23, 2025, Holt introduced House Study Bill 242 (HSB 242), which aimed to remove gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Holt argued that the inclusion of gender identity in the civil rights code elevated the rights of transgender people above those of cisgender women and girls. He stated that the bill was necessary to protect women's rights in sports and changing facilities. The bill faced significant opposition from LGBTQ+ rights advocates and Democrats, who argued that it would lead to widespread discrimination against transgender individuals in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The Iowa House passed the Senate bill with a vote of 60-36[6], and it was signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on February 28, 2025.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "1". www.legis.iowa.gov.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "7". Steven Holt - Ballotpedia.
- ^ "2". Des Moines Register.
- ^ "3". New law bans guaranteed income programs in Iowa.
- ^ "4". SOCIALISM ON STEROIDS: Rep. Holt moves bill blocking guaranteed programs in Iowa.
- ^ "5" (PDF). STATE OF IOWA House Journal.
- ^ "6". Gov. Reynolds releases statement on signing SF 418.