Iowa
State Capitol News – Weekend Recap
IowaState Capitol News – Weekend Recap
by Paul Deaton
[Editors'Note: Following is a weekly recap of stories from Des Moines that
came through the Weekend Editor's in-box in the eleventh week of the
legislative session. Check out the House Democrats page for a
different take on the week here.
Senate Democrats are here.
Watch for this feature every Saturday while the legislature is in
session.]
You Can't Always Get What You Want, but if You Try, Sometimes, You Get to Hunt Doves
Blog for Iowa had to consult with a member of the legislature to understand the process by which the Iowa House passed the dove bill, authorizing the creation of an open dove hunting season in the state. The House version of the bill did not make the first funnel, yet when the Senate messaged SF 464 over, a new enthusiasm for dove hunting ensued, resulting in contortions that more appropriately belong in a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas.House leadership determined that the Dove bill could be amended to SF 130 pertaining to raccoon hunting and Representative Richard Arnold (R-72) introduced amendment H-1435 to change the raccoon bill to strike all language in it and reintroduce new language to include hunting mourning doves. This amendment was amended (H-1436) to include creating an open season on mourning doves. At this point, Representative Mary Mascher (D-77) rose on a point of order that the amendment was not germane. Point well taken said the chair, at which Representative Arnold moved suspension of the rules and the amendment passed handily, even if up until now, the action was on non-recorded roll call votes, so dove lovers could not track those who voted for the measures.
Okay, so the raccoon turned mourning dove bill passed. Should we send it to the Senate to reconcile with their version? No. Instead, let's take SF 464 and substitute it, in whole, for SF 130 now that it includes dove hunting. Done and passed 58-39. To see where your House member landed on final passage, check out the House Journal for March 23 on Page 782. The bill was forwarded to Governor Branstad, who has would be dove hunters in his family, and he signed the bill Thursday afternoon.
Basic Rights Politicized by House Republicans
For anyone who has heard the Miranda Warning read, the phrases, “you have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you“ should sound familiar. This basic right to legal counsel must be provided in Iowa and the funds for paying the attorneys must be approved by the legislature. Iowa's rate of $60 per hour is low compared to what an attorney can make, and it must be paid. House Republicans have passed legislation to cover this expense twice during the session only to have it stripped out by the Senate Majority. The trouble is not passing the measure, it is that House Speaker Paulsen (R-35) keeps wondering what he can get in exchange for sending the measure over to the Senate. Democrats have said twice, “nothing.” This is a basic legal right and should not be politicized, although it doesn't stop Republicans from trying. Midst accusations that the expense was understated for 2011 in a legislative gimmick to balance the FY 2011 budget, Republicans are standing their ground and won't pay the lawyers to perform their constitutional duty without getting something for it. This may be how we remember the 84th General Assembly.
Where are the Jobs?
In a week of talking about nuclear power, umbilical cords, veterans home issues, Borlaug, dove hunting, late term abortions and legislature acrobatics, one wonders, “where are the jobs?” In what must be coincidental timing, the Iowa Senate Republicans issued
an answer, “Iowans sent a strong message this last November that they want their elected officials to listen and get serious about job creation and [The Re-Open Iowa for Business Rules and Regulations Tour], along with many Republican legislative initiatives, have started the important process of getting government out of the way so employers can start expanding and hiring again.” Blog for Iowa asks, “After all of the legislation going nowhere and the listening about how to get government out of the way, when will we see some jobs?”~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend editor of Blog for Iowa. E-mail Paul Deaton
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