Capitol Notebook: Pipeline bills advance in Iowa House

DES MOINES — Three bills in the Iowa House that stem from a controversial carbon dioxide pipeline project received unanimous support from subcommittees Thursday.

They were:

State lawmakers in 2023 gutted the consumer advocate's former independence by making the agency a division of the Iowa Attorney General's Office and gave the attorney general the power to replace the lead consumer advocate for any reason.

That change happened while a permit was pending for the first phase of Summit Carbon Solutions' CO2 pipeline project, which met fierce resistance from some residents but was ultimately approved by state regulators last year.

The consumer advocate is tasked with representing the interests of residents in utilities matters — most often when utility rate changes are proposed, but also for projects like the pipeline system.

Jess Mazour, of the Sierra Club of Iowa, said putting the consumer advocate under the purview of the attorney general resulted in an obvious change to how the advocate operated.

"Summit had a really long, like two-month hearing, and the (Office of Consumer Advocate) was almost absent," Mazour told lawmakers Thursday. "They didn't ask any questions. They didn't cross examine anyone."

A former attorney for the office, Anna Ryon, left amid the change, claiming it had reduced the office to essentially an observer of the Summit proceedings, rather than a public advocate. The office later attempted to prevent Ryon from representing pipeline opponents during those proceedings.

Rep. Charley Thomson, a Charles City Republican, said Thursday that the change was a mistake and that the bill "has the potential to restore its former vigor to the consumer advocate."

Pipeline opponents said they support the bills but asked for better protection against eminent domain, by which pipeline companies can force unwilling landowners to host their projects in exchange for compensation. Senate leaders, however, in recent sessions have declined to consider stiffer restrictions for eminent domain.

Bill requiring citizenship on driver's license advances

  Buy Photo

A bill requiring individuals to provide U.S. citizenship status when applying for or renewing a driver’s license or nonoperator’s identification card advanced Thursday.

The Iowa House Judiciary Committee advanced House Study Bill 37 along party lines with all Republican members voting in favor.

Under the legislation, the Iowa Department of Transportation would be required to include a person’s citizenship status on the backside of a driver's license.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, said the legislation is needed to verify voters’ citizenship status at the polls.

“There are numerous different reasons this has come forward, one of the most prevalent would be when it comes to certifying your citizenship to vote but it also can help in cases such as jury duty, as well as identity theft,” Wheeler said.

The bill comes months after Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate ordered county auditors to challenge ballots of Iowans whose names were on a list of individuals who at one point indicated on Iowa DOT documents that they were legal residents but not U.S. citizens who then later attempted to register to vote or voted in an election. The order came just weeks before the November election.

Rep. Lindsay James, D-Dubuque, expressed concern that citizenship status would lead to discrimination and deter eligible voters.

“When we put a bunch of requirements around proving something for voting, it disproportionately impacts poor communities and minority communities and disincentivizes them to vote,” James said.

The bill does not specify whether all Iowans would need to update their current driver's licenses.

Wheeler said he is considering adding a license renewal requirement for individuals whose citizenship status changes.

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau