def strip_prefix_from_items(prefix, items):
  """Strips out the prefix from each of the items if it is present.

  Args:
    prefix: the string for that you wish to strip from the beginning of each
      of the items.
    items: a list of strings that may or may not contain the prefix you want
      to strip out.

  Returns:
    items_no_prefix: a copy of the list of items (same order) without the
      prefix (if present).
  """
  items_no_prefix = []
  for item in items:
    if item.startswith(prefix):
      items_no_prefix.append(item[len(prefix):])
    else:
      items_no_prefix.append(item)
  return items_no_prefix