Iowa lawmakers spar over abortion, transportation prior to adjournment

DES MOINES - Differences on state transportation funding and a philosophical stalemate over abortion-related policy slowed progress Thursday for legislative agreements standing in the way of ending the Iowa Legislature's 2016 session.

Representatives in the Republican-led House and members of the Democratic-controlled Senate spent limited time in floor debate while waiting for breakthroughs to come in closed-door talks on the four fiscal 2017 budget bills left to be resolved in a $7.35 billion spending plan.

After hours of private discussions, the Senate quit for the night shortly before 11 and the House followed minutes later with hopes to return today and finish their 2016 work

'We're essentially 95 percent done and have a few outstanding issues that people feel very strongly about,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs.

Atop the remaining unresolved issues was a $1.836 billion health and human services budget bill that pro-life legislators insisted not include taxpayer money going to women's health care providers in Iowa - most notably Planned Parenthood - that perform abortions.

A sticking point in House File 2460 on state oversight of privately managed Medicaid services largely had been resolved, Gronstal said.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, said 211 federally qualified women's health care clinics and 13 Planned Parenthood providers receive taxpayer funding that could provide 'opportunities” to make sure women 'have options, access, choices.”

'At this point, we're discussing all of those matters,” Upmeyer said.

Iowa officials say no state money goes for abortion services. But GOP lawmakers want to halt any government money going even indirectly to Planned Parenthood organizations in Iowa - something Gov. Terry Branstad has said he supports but would not break the law or invite legal action by arbitrarily denying the private provider government grant money without a legal cause of action.

'We think that's a way to avoid the controversy,” Branstad told reporters Thursday in supporting the position staked out by GOP legislators.

However, Gronstal said the attempt to defund Planned Parenthood is a fundamental issue for the Senate majority. While both sides will look at ways to bridge their difference, 'people's access to contraceptives and reproductive health care, we think, is critical and worth fighting for.”

transportation

Negotiators also worked on finishing the state's $370 million transportation department budget. A final sticking point was nearly $10 million the department says it needs to fund salaries. Without the funding, the department would have to cut more than 150 jobs, the department's director has said.

House Republicans did not include the $10 million in their transportation budget proposal, with leaders questioning whether the department truly would have to eliminate 150 jobs.

Branstad said he hopes the funding issue can be resolved in a way that keeps transportation department projects running smoothly, especially after last year's 10-cent increase of the state gas tax created more road and bridge construction and repair projects.

'Let's be careful that we have the staff to be able to do the work we need to do to move forward with these projects that were made possible because of the resources we have from last year,” Branstad said.

boarding schools

Earlier Thursday, a conference committee reached agreement on Senate File 2304, a proposal to regulate private boarding schools, which both parties agreed provided oversight without being overly intrusive.

The legislation was a response to the physical and sexual abuse alleged at Midwest Academy near Keokuk. The compromise protects such schools from Department of Education oversight of religious curriculum but includes background checks of employees.

Facilities will have to be licensed or certified, according to rules to be developed.

It will provide 'gentle oversight” to make sure children are safe, healthy and not subjected to abuse, said Senate Government Oversight Committee Chairman Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids.

Senators approved the bill 49-0, while House support was 94-1.

Erin Murphy and James Q. Lynch contributed to this story.