Bottle bill changes would end Iowa’s recycling program, Democrats argue

DES MOINES — Republican state lawmakers on Thursday repeated their warning that they are prepared to pass changes to Iowa’s recycling law this year rather than wait for beverage distributors and grocery stores to reach a compromise agreement.

But Democratic state lawmakers added their own warning: This proposed version of the “bottle bill” would spell ultimate doom for the state’s recycling program.

Senate Republicans advanced the proposal, Senate File 2122, during a meeting Thursday of the Senate’s tax policy committee. Democrats voted against moving the bill forward.

Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, criticized Republicans for watering down a previous version of the bill as introduced by Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa.

The newly amended bill would increase the fee paid by distributors to support redemption centers. It would also soften the requirements for where redemption centers must be located.

Under Iowa’s recycling law, consumers pay a 5-cent deposit on all purchases of carbonated beverages in bottles and can. The deposit can be refunded by returning those bottles and cans to redemption centers or some retail stores.

“This is more special interest group stuff here. … Special interest groups descended in here and rewrote your bill,” Bolkcom charged during the meeting. “People want these bottles and cans recycled and reused, and this bill will not do it. …

“The bottle bill’s on life support, and we’re getting ready to pull the plug.”

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, agreed with Bolkcom’s assessment.

“This bill, the way it’s written, it’s a de facto end of the bottle bill,” Dotzler said. “Once this gets passed, it’s pretty much all over.”

With the bill’s passage out of committee, it is eligible for consideration by the full Senate.

Iowa House Republicans are working on their own version of changes to the state’s recycling program. They aim to increase the fee that supports redemption centers and create more locations for consumers to return their bottles and cans.

TOUCHING TRIBUTE: Two House members paid tribute to Josh Bronsink, a staff worker for Senate Republicans who died March 11 of COVID-19, according to his obituary.

He was 48 and married with two children.

“Josh was a kind and calming presence, even in difficult negotiations,” said Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge.

Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said Brosnick was a close friend to her and her husband.

“We disagreed about politics, but, wow, life is about so much more than politics,” Konfrst said. “He truly believed we can make life better for Iowans, and he worked every day to make that happen.”

MOBILE HOME RENT: Senate Republicans advanced legislation designed to address rent spikes in mobile home communities, while Democrats argued the proposal is insufficient to address the problem.

Among the provisions in Senate Study Bill 3151 is an increase from 60 days to 90 days for when the owner of a mobile home park must let its residents know that rent will be increased.

Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, said the bill tries to balance the rights of property owners with the rights of mobile home tenants. She said the proposal is the result of “a lot” of conversations, meetings and agreements.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said the bill does not include any suggestions made by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office to address the issue.

IRISH-AMERICAN CAUCUS: On St. Patrick’s Day, House members established an Irish-America caucus to foster and strengthen “the long-standing relationship that exists between the United States of America and Ireland to the mutual benefit of both countries.”

House Joint Resolution 111 commemorates the significance of the Irish immigration to the United States, proclaims support for Ireland and joins with those both of Irish ancestry and “wearing the green” in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

A copy of the resolution will be sent to the chairman of the Senate of Ireland, which on this year celebrates its 100-year anniversary, as well as the national chairpersons of the American Irish State Legislators Caucus.

THIRD BEST IN ELECTIONS: Iowa ranked third-best behind Vermont and Minnesota in the nation for administration of the 2020 elections, according to the Elections Performance Index compiled by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Election Data and Science Lab.

The lab ranks states based on voter turnout, voter registration rate and overall administration of elections.

Iowa saw record turnout in the 2018 general election, 2020 primary and general elections, and the 2021 city/school election.

The state received high marks in the Elections Performance Index for instituting online voter registration and conducting postelection audits, which were put in place by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican seeking re-election. He gave credit to his staff and election officials across the state.

The index was the first objective measure of election performance in each state for U.S. midterm and presidential elections. It began tracking election administration in 2008.

EMPLOYMENT-POPULATION RATIO: Almost two-thirds of Iowans over the age of 16 have jobs, according to a U.S. Labor Department report.

Iowa’s 64.3 percent employment-population ratio is the 10th highest in the country and 5.2 percentage points higher than the national average of 59.1 percent.

At the start of the 2007-08 national recession, Iowa’s Employment-Population Ratio was 69.6 percent, seventh-highest in U.S. and 6.7 percentage points higher than the national average of 62.9 percent.

The ratio was 68.4 percent in November 2019 before dropping during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Iowa Legislative Services Agency, it is likely that ratios will continue to be impacted by COVID-19 and the February 2020 pandemic-related recession.

An improvement is possible as pandemic restrictions cease and service-sector jobs increase. At the same time, an increase in temporary or permanent retirements due to the pandemic may hinder the ratio, the agency said.

Over the history of the statistic, no state has recorded an employed population rate higher than Minnesota’s 73.1 percent.

Iowa’s highest employment-population ratio was 71 percent in 1996.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau