Capitol Digest, 3-29-2010

A roundup of legislative and Statehouse items of interest for Monday, March 29:

AG TRADE MISSION: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey left Monday for a trade mission to South Korea and Japan to promote continuing trade with two of the largest export markets for Iowa agriculture products.  During the trip, Northey plans to participate in events commemorating the 50

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anniversary of the Yamanashi “hog lift” and the sister state relationship between Iowa and Yamanashi providence in Japan. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will join the group in Japan for the 50

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anniversary celebrations. The Yamanashi “hog lift” in 1959 was the result of Iowa farmers and USDA officials assisting Yamanashi in rebuilding its hog industry after two typhoons hit the region. Iowa farmers sent swine breeding animals and corn to feed them.

IOWA-BOUND CHUCK NORRIS: Actor and martial arts champion Chuck Norris is making another trip to Iowa. The star of TV's “Walker, Texas Ranger” show and numerous movie roles as agreed to campaign on behalf of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats at June events in Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Council Bluffs. Norris, who currently writes a nationally syndicated column and is active in conservative and pro-family causes, will be in Iowa on June 4 and 5 – just days before the GOP primary election. Vander Plaats said logistical details of the events will be announced at a later date, but he expects to appear with Norris for a mid-day rally in Davenport and an early evening event in Cedar Rapids on June 4.  They will hold a mid-day rally in Des Moines and an event later in the Council Bluffs/Omaha area on June 6.

SAVING ENERGY: State officials are embarking on 47 energy-saving projects they expect will cut government consumption of electricity by 10 percent and natural gas usage by about 24 percent. Ray Walton, director of the state Department of Administrative Services, said the yearly savings should total about $360,000. Walton told the Iowa Executive Council the overall cost would be about $2.8 million via a lease-purchase agreement, but the state expects to recoup up to $1.2 million in utility rebates and leverage another $700,000 from the federal government through the Iowa Office of Energy Independence. Projects include revamping inefficient air turnover at the state's Ankeny labs, replacing inefficient lights at the Capitol complex and installing variable frequency pumps in water systems.

WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION: The Iowa Executive Council on Monday approved more than $2,000 to cover the cost of an emergency response team deployed to Madison County to investigate a suspicious letter and substance incident last February. John Benson of the state Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division said the incident fell under a “weapons of mass destruction” category because it involved the potential of "weaponized" anthrax – although the threat was ended without incident. Benson said the Feb. 9 situation involved a threatening letter sent to a home. He said the incident remains under investigation by the state Division of Criminal Investigation and local authorities.

MILLER TRIBUTE: Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller stopped by the House and Senate Monday to thank lawmakers for what he considered to be a successful legislative session. “I think they've done a good job under very difficult circumstances,” he said. Miller said it appeared there would be state and federal funding that would be available to keep the mortgage hotline program operating. He also praised lawmakers for passing legislation this year to take guns away from people convicted of domestic abuse or who are the subject of protective court orders, and for consumer protections approved during the 83

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General Assembly's 2009 session.

STATE ENERGY GRANTS: The Iowa Office of Energy Independence has awarded additional grants to Iowa's 13 largest cities and 10 largest counties (list at www.energy.iowa.gov) under energy efficiency and conservation block grants and 2009 federal economic stimulus funding. The cities include Ames, Ankeny, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Sioux City, Urbandale, Waterloo, and West Des Moines; the 10 largest counties include Cerro Gordo, Clinton, Dallas, Des Moines, Johnson, Linn, Muscatine, Polk, Scott, and Warren. The latest grants bring the total funding to about $18.1 million -- $8.3 million in grant money and $9.7 million in leveraged funds – for projects designed to reduce energy consumption and save about $3.7 million in energy costs.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “There are holes in this you could shoot a howitzer through. This is a bad fix on a bad law for a problem that doesn't exist except in a very limited amount of cases. And there's a fix for that, too. It's called the election process.” -- Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, in arguing against a compromise on Senate File 2379, which limits sheriffs' discretion in denying concealed carry permits. Supporters wore orange “Guns Save Lives” buttons on a day the House and Senate sent the gun permits bill to Gov. Chet Culver for consideration.