IOWA CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist
February 12, 2010
STATE GOVERNMENT RE-ORGANIZATION
The House Appropriations Committee and the House State Government Committee both approved SF 2088 which made it available for House debate. This is a big, complex piece of legislation. Democrats believe their bill will save upwards of one hundred million dollars. Estimates by the Legislative Service Bureau have bounced around, going up or down from that figure depending on amendments effecting the size and efficiency of state government. At last count, both Democrats and Republicans have filed between one hundred and one hundred- fifty amendments in preparation for House floor debate.
As I stated in my last report, Friday February 12th is the first funnel day. My educated guess is that every Republican sponsored, fiscally responsible, pro-life, pro-family and constitutionally-honoring bill will be dead by the end of this first funnel. However, I do want to bring some of them to your attention.
HF 2313 by Rep. Jason Schultz would forbid judges from using judicial precedent, case law, penumbras or international law as a basis for rulings. The bill specified that a judicial officer shall only use the Constitution of the United States, the constitution of the State of Iowa and the Code of Iowa as the basis for any ruling issued by a judge.
Also under this bill, the only source materials that may be used for interpreting the U.S. Constitution are the Federalist Papers and other documents which describe the intent of the founding fathers.
HJR 2012 by Rep. Rod Roberts, proposes an amendment to the Iowa constitution that would require that a Supreme Court Justice be appointed from every Judicial District plus one justice at large. Current law does not place a residency requirement on Supreme Court justices.
HJR 2013 by Rep. Jason Schultz would require that the justices of the Supreme Court be elected to a term of office of six years, on a statewide basis.
I doubt whether either of these amendments will proceed any further during this session.
SF 2203 by Senators Olive, Black and Hancock and HF 2350 by Rep. Kurt Swaim, 11 Democrats and 9 Republicans are almost identical. They would both exempt certain entities from being required to solemnize, celebrate or promote a marriage. The bill would, in essence, create a conscience clause allowing wedding photographers, planners, florists, etc. to refuse to participate in a homosexual marriage if that event violates their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.
HF 2345 by Rep. Kent Sorenson and nineteen other Republicans relates to illegal immigration in Iowa. The bill directs the attorney general to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Justice in order to increase joint enforcement of federal immigration law. This, approximately nine page bill, makes a number of provisions dealing with illegal aliens.
Again, I doubt this bill will survive the funnel day.
In my last report, I called your attention to HF 2269 by Rep. Mary Mascher which would mandate sexuality education beginning in kindergarten. Rep. Mascher was pushing hard to get this bill through the Education Committee before Friday’s funnel. I worked with two other lobbyists; one is the Catholic Diocese spokesman, the other lobbies for the Christian schools. We talked to both Democrats and Republicans. It was not difficult to get Republican support. Rep. Mike May is the ranking Republican on the Education Committee. As soon as the Education Committee was convened, a caucus was called for both parties. It lasted for a little over an hour. Although we are not privy to what is discussed in caucuses, it was clear that Ms. Mascher’s bill was very unpopular to members of both parties, due in large part by the Catholics and evangelical Christians who called and e-mailed their legislators protesting this affront to parental authority. When the Committee again convened, I noticed Ms. Mascher was none too happy. Ms. Mascher has for the last two years been the driving force for much of the sexuality legislation the Democrats have enacted. This one she lost. The Education Committee adjourned without taking up HF 2269, rendering it dead for this session.
No question that the pressure from their constituents and from Republicans on the Committee helped kill this bill. I was told by one Republican member that they indicated they would ask for a public hearing on the bill if it passed out of committee. Way to go “team righteousness.”
“And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”~~Galatians 6:9-10
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”~~Matthew 5:16
Public Hearing This Wednesday:
Subject: Public Hearing on HSB 702
To register for the public hearing next Wednesday, call the Legislative Information Office at 515-281-5129 or send an e-mail to lioinfo@legis.state.ia.us
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
SPONSOR: House Labor Committee, Rick Olson, Chair
SUBJECT: House Study Bill 702, An Act concerning public employee collective
bargaining, including provisions allowing reasonable reimbursement for employee organization
services provided to certain executive branch employees, and including applicability
provisions.
DATE: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
LOCATION: House Chamber
TIME: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
TIME LIMIT FOR TESTIMONY: Individual testimony will be limited to three minutes
SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN TESTIMONY: Submission of written testimony is encouraged
but not required
TO SIGN UP TO TESTIFY: Call the Legislative Information Office (LIO) at
515-281-5129.
TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY BY EMAIL: Testimony may be emailed to the Legislative
Information Office at www.lioinfo@legis.state.ia.us. Please type "Testimony" in
the subject line.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This report, along with past Legislative Updates, is available at: http://www.iowachristian.com/legislativereport.htm
We hope that you will take the opportunity to meet with those that represent you. Some of those opportunities are noted on our website at http://www.iowachristian.com/meeting.htm
To find out who represents you visit: http://www.iowachristian.com/legislator_lookup.html
Updates from several of your Legislators are available at: http://www.iowachristian.com/letters2010.html