Iowa Politics Today: Passing a U.S. citizenship test to graduate high school?

A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Monday, Feb. 20, 2017:

CIVICS EXAM:

A House Education subcommittee has postponed indefinitely further action to require high school students score 60 percent on the U.S. citizenship test to graduate.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Orange City, a co-sponsor of HF 220, wants to see a Legislative Services Agency fiscal analysis of the bill because he doesn't want to impose an unfunded mandate on local schools.

When he was running for office last year, Wheeler said, he had to explain to voters the difference between the U.S. House and the Iowa House.

'Some people thought I was running against (U.S. Rep. Steve) King,” he said.

Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, a social studies teacher, called the bill a joke. Requiring the test won't improve proficiency in social studies, he said. If students lack proficiency in social studies, Staed suggested it might be because too few teachers have a background in the subject matter.

FOREIGN LAWS: A House Judiciary subcommittee moved forward a bill, HF 223, which would make it state policy to protect Iowans from the application of foreign laws that would result in violating rights guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions, including but not limited to those applying to due process, freedom of religion, speech or press, and any right of privacy or marriage.

Civil liberties advocates advised that U.S. courts have long held international law is a part of U.S. law. That it could put Americans at risk and cast uncertainty on multinational agreements.

Another lobbyist warned the language is so broad as to require civil courts to ignore 1,000 years of the Catholic Church's canon law in handling disputes such as those involving church property or health care directives. The bill says a court cannot enforce a law if religious or foreign laws does not match the U.S. Constitution. Canon law, Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference, does not recognize the right to an abortion, for example.

Sponsor Rep. Ralph Watts, R-Adel, said the bill is in response to comments by U.S. Supreme Court justices suggesting that international law should be considered in deciding constitutional questions.

In the current environment, with people of many cultures coming to America Watts said it is important to preserve constitutional freedoms. Some culture, he said, permit child marriages. Some don't recognize the rights of women.

Rep. Vicki Lensing, D-Iowa City, pointed out the Constitution was written at a time when people of many cultures were entering America and that 'some would say we don't have full recognition of women's rights now.”

HIGHER SPEED LIMIT:

A Republican senator would like to see Iowa raise its interstate highway speed limit to 75 mph. Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who filed Senate File 289, said transportation officials say the interstate system was designed to handle traffic speeds of up to 85 mph.

'I travel a lot and I thought it was just worthy of having a conversation,” Zaun said Monday. He noted the bill stalled in recent sessions but 'there's been a change in command” with Republicans now in control of the Iowa Senate so 'I thought I'd give it another shot.”

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, said he expected a subcommittee would meet on the bill but he did not give it much of a chance of getting very far in the process.

'There are a lot of people that don't want it raised,” said Kapucian. 'There's quite a bit of leeway now in how fast you can go. I don't know if we want to go there.”

EXPANDING FIREARM LAW:

The Senate Transportation Committee agreed Monday to modify a firearm law they passed last year to expand its provisions to renters and hired hands.

Iowa landowners now are allowed to carry a loaded firearm while operating a snowmobile or an ATV on their property. Off-road vehicle operators on someone else's property are required to place unloaded shotguns or rifles in a case. In addition, Iowans with a permit to carry a handgun would be allowed to possess a pistol if it is secured in a holster similar to those used by law enforcement officers. Current law also requires snowmobilers and ATV riders to get off the vehicle to shoot. Senate File 227 would extend the provisions to Iowans who rent property or who work as a laborer as part of an animal agriculture operation. The bill now goes to the Senate debate calendar for consideration.

BABY DRUG TESTING: Lawmakers and lobbyist questioned the need for universal drug testing for babies born in Iowa hospitals. While they agreed there is a problems with infants being born with exposure to illegal substances, HF 259 was indefinitely postponed while similar legislation is considered.

Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, called for the universal testing to address drug problems of both newborns and their mothers. He's interested in the child's welfare, but added, 'don't write off the mother.”

However, Janee Harvey of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare and Community Services Bureau, wasn't convinced that testing was needed for the very newborn or that involving the DHS by filing Child in Need of Assistance papers in every case was the best way to address the problem.

Given rising incidences of heroin and opioid abuse, 'We need to take a strong stance,” Heaton said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'You've not only derailed bipartisanship, you seem to have driven it off the cliff in some Thelma and Louise fashion,”

Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, referring to majority Republicans' passage of HF 291, which significantly altered public employee collective bargaining rights.

--Compiled by the Des Moines Bureau