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Sterilization laws passed in Iowa, Nevada, and New Jersey.

1911

The Story of Disability Justice
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The Iowa legislature passes an act to prevent the procreation of "habitual criminals, idiots, feeble-minded, and imbeciles." This act empowers a board of examiners made up of "qualified" surgeons or physicians to decide on cases of potential sterilization. This legislation will be replaced in 1913 by a second version, which will then be deemed unconstitutional. The third Iowa sterilization law will eventually become the model for other state's boards to determine sterilization protocols, and will not be repealed until 1979.

The same year, the Nevada Legislature passes an act allowing for the sterilization of those found guilty of particular criminal offenses.

The New Jersey Legislature also passes a law allowing for the legal sterilization of "undesirable persons." In 1913, the New Jersey Supreme Court will rule that this legislation violates the Fourteenth Amendment of equal protection under the law.