News Voters OK New Constitution Language Posted 5 November 2008 It appears that Iowa voters approved an amendment to the state's Constitution to eliminate language that was politically incorrect and offensive to the mentally disabled.  The amendment proposed to change the terms “idiot or insane” person to “a person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote.” It needed a simple majority to pass. The Legislature voted to put the amendment on the ballot at the urging of state Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, the bill’s sponsor. Mona Martin, R-Davenport, and Betty Grundberg, R-Des Moines, who have retired from the Iowa House, co-sponsored the bill with Jochum in 1998. Jochum said, “Keep in mind that our state Constitution was written in the mid-1800s, long before we knew the cause of mental illness or mental retardation. We know better today.” The process to make the change began 10 years ago, when the Legislature passed a law that set up a process to determine whether a person was capable of voting. If a person has an appointed legal guardian or conservator, a judge also must decide whether that person is capable of voting. Teachers, social workers or caregivers may testify on behalf of the person.

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