Legislators wrapped up Week 2 in Des Moines on Thursday. There are a few highlights to focus on from different legislative update emails.
Rep. Dean Fisher noted Week 2 is when things really begin to pick up steam.
“It’s a busy and hectic time because each of us is dealing with all of the bills we personally sponsor, dealing with bills assigned to us in our committees and reviewing bills that we might want to sign on as co-sponsor,” Fisher wrote.
Fisher said his some of his focus is on requiring sex offenders who have timed out of their requirement to register as a sex offender to continue to register once with the county sheriff when they have moved to a new address. This would apply to those who have moved within Iowa or into Iowa from another state.
“It is imperative for the protection of our children and adults that our law enforcement be aware of the presence of past sex offenders,” he wrote.
Sen. Waylon Brown met with some veterans groups last week. Legislators are focused on addressing mental health and trauma for veterans. Brown also requested a bill designating Highway 20 as “The Patriots Highway.”
“I believe this is a respectful way to show our appreciation and remind us of the sacrifices made to ensure our freedoms,” he wrote.
Sen. Jason Schultz wrote about a couple of bills passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Study Bill 1011 deals with accidents in which a driver is exceeding the speed limit by 25 miles an hour and the accident results in a death.
Schultz said speed alone is not grounds to charge a serious crime in the event of vehicular death. If a vehicle is moving 25 miles an hour over the posted speed limit and kills someone, there’s no opportunity to file vehicular manslaughter charges.
“Imagine losing a family member, neighbor or friend and watching the driver of the vehicle get a speeding ticket,” Schultz wrote. “SSB 1011 makes causing the death of a person while speeding 25 or miles per hour over the speed limit vehicular homicide.
He also let constituents know that Senate Study Bill 1017 emerged from committee. That allows a person with a non-professional permit to carry to keep their weapon on their body while on a school parking lot or driveway.
He said some do not realize it’s illegal, some take the time to unholster, unload and put the weapon where they can legally transport it and some know it’s illegal but do so anyway.
“The worst is when a law abiding citizen leaves their personal protection weapon at home all day because they don’t want the risk or hassle,” Schultz wrote. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse. On the other hand, it is not the purpose of state government to make a criminal out of an honest man or woman.”
Sen. Jake Chapman wrote extensively about Iowa’s judicial tyranny after a Polk County judge ruled the Heartbeat bill unconstitutional.
“I will not however sit on the sideline as I watch the decisions of judges erode the will of the people and the voice of the unborn,” Chapman wrote.
Within 24 hours of the ruling, Chapman had 28 co-sponsors on a resolution to declare there is no right to an abortion or funding for abortion in the Iowa Constitution.
