Little drama as Iowa Legislature nears second funnel deadline

DES MOINES — Democrats on the House Transportation Committee pulled on the brake lever, but weren't able to stop legislation to regulate traffic enforcement devices such as red-light and speed cameras from moving forward Thursday.

All eight Democrats on the committee voted against Senate File 220, which would allow the devices for safety reasons where there is high traffic volume or a history of crashes. Without discussion, the bill cleared the committee 13-8.

'People in my caucus really don't like traffic enforcement cameras,' said Rep. John Forbes of Des Moines, the committee's ranking Democrat.

If the bill is going to become law — and it was approved 31-18 in the Senate after it was amended to regulate traffic enforcement devices rather than ban them, Forbes likes that 'it has more control over cities.'

'But overall, I've always been against automated traffic enforcement cameras and lights,' he said.

That was the extent of funnel week drama Thursday — the last day most lawmakers will be at the Capitol before the Friday deadline for bills to win approval in one chamber and from a committee in the other.

An attempt by House Minority Leader Mark Smith, D-Marshalltown, to block the reorganization of the Des Moines Water Works from being put on 'unfinished business' to get around the deadline was defeated 57-40 on a party-line vote.

The reorganization, which many people suspected was revenge for the Water Works filing a water quality lawsuit against three northwest Iowa counties, seemed to be on Republicans' 'must-do' list early in the session. Now, it's questionable whether it will get a House debate.

'If we find a path, good. If we don't, we have next year.' House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, said.

House leaders rolled more than two dozen bills to the unfinished business debate calendar to keep them alive. Senate GOP leaders are expected to take similar action Friday before the second funnel deadline officially lapses.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, said he is pleased with the session's progress so far, saying majority Republicans have passed legislation dealing with collective bargaining, workers' compensation and school funding changes that should provide for flexibility for state agencies and local government entities that help save taxpayers money.

'I feel like it's been a very successful session,' Dix said. 'Iowa voters sent us here to change the way we do business.'

Upmeyer agreed both chambers have made 'real progress' in their first year of GOP control of both chambers for the first time in 20 years.

They've moved forward on 'things that we've worked on in the past that were, perhaps, not welcomed as heartily in the Senate,' Upmeyer said. 'Now we have a Senate that is interested in some of the things we've moved forward and we're interested in things they've moved forward.'

However, Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, saw the 2017 legislative work product differently.

'The reality is the Republican majority has done enough damage to the people of this state already this session,' Hogg said. 'They need to stop the damage, they need to focus on this budget that's an absolute mess and they need to get this session over with before they pass anything that hurts Iowans.'

Thursday saw a flurry of activity with the Senate Local Government Committee approving a bill that would abolish compensation boards and place responsibility for setting county elected officials' salaries with boards of supervisors, while the Senate State Government Committee passed House bills to change the date of school board elections and expand confidentiality of cybersecurity and medical information related to 911 calls or police body camera audio and video recordings. The Senate Judiciary Committee beat the funnel deadline by approving measures dealing with eminent domain, sentencing reform and so-called 'revenge porn' harassment.

The House Judiciary Committee approved SF 415 to provide legal protection to 911 callers who are under the legal drinking age of 21 but need help in an emergency when underage drinking has taken place. It also approved SF 446, reforming Iowa's civil asset forfeiture law.

The so-called 'suck it up, buttercup' bill that would create penalties for blocking a highway, did not survive the funnel deadline.

'It's disappointing, but guess what, this is the first year of the General Assembly,' said Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel. 'We'll take it up again next year and hopefully get it through and get this passed.'

In the meantime, he said, 'I certainly hope we don't have protesters out there getting injured or injuring someone else when we could have taken action this year to get that done.'

Some policy bills that failed to advance under the funnel structure are expected to resurface in budget bills. One is SF 2, a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and shift government funds to clinics not offering abortion. It has passed the Senate but the House planned to make it a budget issue, while both chambers were working on a way to at least extend a law granting limited access to cannabis oil if an agreement could not be reached to expand the program.

Upmeyer believes there may be an opportunity to expand the medical use of marijuana or cannabis. It would be helpful to get a signal from the Trump administration, specifically Attorney General Jeff Sessions, on what the federal policy will be toward states that enact medical cannabis laws, she said.

Even then, Upmeyer said about establishing a 'grow and sell' operation, 'one of the biggest, hardest pieces is making it economically viable.'

With less than three weeks before lawmakers' daily expense money runs out, the leaders remain optimistic they are 'on pace to accomplish a large part of the agenda that we set out to accomplish this year,' said Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny.

The budget is the 'next big thing,' he said. 'I believe we'll be able to get that settled and done on time and hopefully get out right when we're supposed to.'

The last day of the 110-day session was supposed to be April 28. To reduce spending, the lawmakers are now planning to finish up on April 18.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com