Capitol Digest 4-14

Capitol Digest

Legislative items of interest for Tuesday, April 14:

RECORDERS' CHOICE - Sen. Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton, tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation that would allow county recorders to refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

Beginning April 27, county recorders will be required to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples after an Iowa Supreme Court ruling earlier this month legalized same-sex marriage.

Bartz said some county recorders are in a quandary because the principles they believe in are contrary to the principles of the office that they hold.

He said one county recorder, a Democrat, has talked about resigning rather than issuing a license to a same-sex couple.

"They know that they're right in the middle," Bartz said. "They've got a big bulls-eye pointed on them, and like it or not, the Supreme Court has pushed the county recorders into an unenviable position."

Bartz offered an amendment to a bill would have protected recorders from criminal prosecution, civil liability or being removed from office.

The amendment ultimately did not come to a vote after a ruling by Senate President Jack Kibbie that it was not germane to the bill.

Republican lawmakers in both chambers have tried unsuccessfully in recent days to counter the court ruling in the Legislature.

PURSUIT OF STIMULUS: Iowa's economic recovery "is not a question of if, but when," Gov. Chet Culver said, but will happen more quickly if Iowa lawmakers approve his Iowa Jobs program, including approximately $750 million in bonding to invest in public infrastructure in order to create jobs and boost the economy.

He promised to aggressively seek to "tap as much funding as we can" from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but said the $2 billion in federal stimulus money he anticipates will not meet every need of the state. Approval of his jobs program would extend the economic benefit of the federal stimulus money for an additional two years, he said during a meeting with representatives from two dozen state agencies coordinating Iowa's use of the federal economic recovery funds.

CHAMPS HONORED: Lawmakers honored the University of Northern Iowa basketball team for their successful season Tuesday.

Team members, decked out in suits, were at the State Capitol to accept the honor. The team won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and finished their season with a 23-11 record after losing a first-round NCAA Tournament game to Purdue.

It was UNI's fifth NCAA Tournament appearance, their fourth since 2004.

Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, a co-sponsored of a resolution honoring the team and Coach Ben Jacobson "for the honor and excitement they brought to the state of Iowa."

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We're getting close. I think if we had our t's crossed and i's dotted we'd be adjourned by now. So we're getting there." - Gov. Chet Culver commenting Tuesday on negotiations with top Democratic legislators on the session's remaining must-do issues.

Compiled by Des Moines bureau staff