Some legislation doomed to short shelf life

DES MOINES - Hope springs eternal in the legislative process, unless you're a minority-party member with prized ideas about to be chewed up by the “funnel.”

Every session the General Assembly goes through its own version of March madness when lawmakers scurry to beat a self-imposed deadline, known as the funnel, that requires policy bills to clear at least one House or Senate committee to remain eligible for consideration that year.

A case in point is Senate File 306, a perennial favorite of Sen. Steve Kettering, R-Lake View, an 11-year legislative veteran who religiously offers a proposal to raise the speed limit on Iowa's two-lane primary roads from 55 mph to 60 mph.

Kettering rode the wave of majority support a few years ago when the Legislature increased the speed limits on divided, multilane interstate highways and expressways, but he has been an army of one in trying to push his primary road proposal into the legislative fast lane.

“Iowans have already decided this (current speed limit) is a law that they don't believe in and are not following,” he said. “I think Iowans are right and the Legislature needs to follow suit.

“It's pretty clear Iowans have voted with the foot feed,” he added. “If you drive down a two-lane highway at 60 mph, you and I both know that you're holding up traffic. That stream of traffic is moving faster than 60 mph. We need to recognize what Iowans already have, that 55 mph is too slow on the two-lane roads.”

Be that as it may, like the Chicago Cubs, Kettering's Senate File 306 likely is destined to join scores of other bills that will wait until next year for another shot at legislative glory.

Already, nearly 1,500 study bills, House files and Senate files have been drafted for consideration. Normally, several hundred bills succeed in gaining the governor's signature each year.

Here is a list of some bills likely to be sidelined early this year:

• Impose a moratorium on state gambling licenses
• Require public libraries to restrict minors' access to certain videos
• Expand hunting/trapping of bobcats
• Establish a hunting season for mourning doves
• Force small schools to consolidate
• Require drug testing to apply for/receive state assistance
• Allow recall elections for public officials
• Raise resident hunting/fishing fees
• Require meal/rest breaks for employees
• Create offense for unattended kids left in vehicles
• Require special election to fill U.S. Senate vacancy
• Bar salary increases for college presidents if tuitions increase
• Require informed consent for abortion procedures
• Require health provider to gather pregnancy termination information
• Specify life begins at conception and provide rights, privileges and immunity to unborn
• Expand containers covered by bottle law, raise deposit from nickel to 10 cents
• Allow microbreweries to sell high-alcohol beer on premises
• Study sales, possession or use of novelty lighters