Ethanol mandate, other bills clear funnel deadline

DES MOINES – A bill mandating ethanol-blended fuels cleared a hurdle Wednesday to keep it alive this session of the Iowa Legislature, while a measure to push back the start date of schools will fail to meet a deadline.

Thursday effectively marks the end of “funnel week,” when most bills must gain approval by committees if they are to stay alive this session. Tax and spending bills are excluded from the deadline.

The Senate Agriculture Committee approved a measure that would require retailers to sell gasoline blended with ethanol.

“I believe Iowans need to step up, use this product, a proven product,” said Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, an ethanol advocate who sponsored the proposal.

One pump at each site would still be allowed to sell non-blended gasoline for small engines and off-road vehicles such as antique cars, snowmobile, all-terrain vehicles, watercraft and yard and garden implements. Some other exemptions are included.

The bill would do away with a tax credit currently extended to 10-percent ethanol blends, but would retain the tax credit for blends of 11 percent or higher.

Iowa's ethanol industry has faced setbacks in recent years, but Kibbie pointed to signs things were improving.

Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone, voted against the measure, comparing it to a government bailout.

“I just don't think that's appropriate,” Behn said.

One bill that is unlikely to make the funnel deadline is one that would prohibit K-12 schools from starting their years before the fourth Monday in August.

Tourism industry officials and the Iowa State Fair have pushed for the measure, arguing that early school start dates conflict with summer travel plans and the fair.

But the idea drew a backlash from local school officials who want the flexibility to set their own calendars.

House Education Committee Chairman Roger Wendt, D-Sioux City, backed the measure, but said it would not gain committee approval to beat the deadline.

“School board members, school administrators and school teachers are opposed to it. They like local control,” Wendt said.

In other action Wednesday:

-- The Senate Judiciary Committee, by unanimous voice vote, approved legislation designed to avoid the release of a person with criminal charges pending who is being held on an involuntary emergency commitment for 48 hours without the knowledge of law enforcement officers.

Senate File 2050 would provide that law officers could seek a magistrate order to have the receiving hospital notify them prior to release or that the subject of the involuntary emergency commitment would be held at the hospital until law officers arrived to take the person into custody.

The legislation was drafted in response to a situation last year in which Mark Becker was released from a hospital commitment before he traveled to Parkersburg and allegedly fatally shot high school football coach Ed Thomas.

-- A House subcommittee approved a bill that would expand the state educational standards by adding age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education to be taught in kindergarten through grade 12 by public school districts and nonpublic accredited schools.

Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said she expected House File 2269, which included an opt-out provision for parents who don't want their kids taught sex education in schools, would survive today's “funnel” deadline by passing the House Education Committee.

Mascher said kids are bombarded with sexual images via television, movies, books and other mediums on a daily basis, and they need good, accurate information to recognize when they are in abusive or inappropriate situations so they can seek protection.

“Children are born sexual beings and for us to ignore that and to say they shouldn't be getting any of that information until they reach junior high or high school is absolutely ridiculous,” she said.

Rep. Jodi Tymeson, R-Winterset, said she opposed going beyond the current human growth and development curriculum that is part of the state educational standards.

“There's nothing age appropriate about sexuality education for kindergarteners,” she said.

-- The Senate Human Resources Committee approved a measure that would expand the Iowa Care health care program to more low-income Iowans and allow them to receive primary health care at community health centers and emergency services at their local hospitals, rather than just the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines.