Lawmakers open election-year session
01/09/2006 01:38:18 PM
Posted: Monday, January 09, 2006
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A divided Legislature opened Monday with leaders of both parties vowing to get beyond partisan politics as they deal with a bold agenda that includes toughening sex abuse laws and increasing the use of renewable fuels.
Political pressure on lawmakers is intense, with the Senate evenly split at 25-25 and Republicans controlling the House by a 51-49 margin.
"They say this will be a do-nothing session where the only concern is adjourning to begin campaigning," said Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson, of Clarion. "We proved them wrong last year, we will prove them wrong again. We can work together and we will work together."
That call came from both sides of the aisle.
"There will be plenty of time after we adjourn -- hopefully in mid-April -- to knock on doors, take partisan shots and worry about 125 legislative races, the governor's race and other statewide and congressional races," said Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal, of Council Bluffs.
House Speaker Chris Rants, R-Sioux City, said Iowa businesses are looking to the Legislature for action this year.
"Pending elections are no excuse for lack of effort," Rants said.
Much of the Legislature's opening week will be occupied with ceremony, including Gov Tom Vilsack's Condition of the State speech Tuesday morning. Chief Justice Louis Lavorato will deliver his annual report on the condition of the state's court system on Wednesday.
But lawmakers were moving quickly on several issues, including renewable fuels. Leaders plan to gather in a joint session on Thursday to get a briefing on what can be done to increase the use of alternative fuels such as ethanol.
"I think that can be the top issue of this session," Gronstal said.
Senate Democratic President Jack Kibbie, of Emmetsburg, vowed to renew his effort to require that every gallon of gasoline sold in the state be blended with ethanol, an effort he said gets new momentum this year because of soaring gasoline and heating costs.
"All the easy energy in America has already been discovered," Kibbie said.
Senate Republican President Jeff Lamberti, of Ankeny, said he'll join that push with an effort to expand the use of E-85, gasoline featuring an 85 percent blend of ethanol.
"We should seize the opportunity to move renewable fuels into the future," Lamberti said.
Republican leaders in the House also said they would move quickly to renew their drive to repeal the state income tax on pensions and Social Security income.
Projections have shown that would cost the state about $242.6 million, but House Majority Leader Chuck Gipp, R-Decorah, dismissed that projection.
"We know that the impact on the state's budget is not as marked as what the Department of Revenue and Finance thinks," he said.
A measure to phase the tax out over five years was introduced Monday in the House's tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
There was a long list of challenges to the pledges of cooperation. Lawmakers of both parties want to toughen the state's sex abuse laws, and some Republican want to include reinstating the death penalty as part of that debate. Gronstal has vowed to block that effort.
In addition, a lawsuit challenging a state law banning gay marriages is likely to spark a debate over writing that ban into the state's constitution.
There were a couple of poignant moments as the Legislature convened.
Rep. Ray Zirkelbach, D-Monticello, is heading to Iraq with his National Guard unit and will miss the entire session.
House Democratic Leader Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, asked that an American flag be placed on his desk "to honor Ray's service to his country."
"His empty seat will be a constant reminder to all of us of the sacrifice that over 1,000 Iowa Guardsmen and women from the Mississippi to the Missouri make on our behalf every day," Rants said.
In addition, Rep. Mary Lou Freeman, R-Alta, underwent breast cancer surgery last week. She's expected to return to the Legislature later in the session.
AP-CS-01-09-06 1402EST
Political pressure on lawmakers is intense, with the Senate evenly split at 25-25 and Republicans controlling the House by a 51-49 margin.
"They say this will be a do-nothing session where the only concern is adjourning to begin campaigning," said Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson, of Clarion. "We proved them wrong last year, we will prove them wrong again. We can work together and we will work together."
That call came from both sides of the aisle.
"There will be plenty of time after we adjourn -- hopefully in mid-April -- to knock on doors, take partisan shots and worry about 125 legislative races, the governor's race and other statewide and congressional races," said Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal, of Council Bluffs.
House Speaker Chris Rants, R-Sioux City, said Iowa businesses are looking to the Legislature for action this year.
"Pending elections are no excuse for lack of effort," Rants said.
Much of the Legislature's opening week will be occupied with ceremony, including Gov Tom Vilsack's Condition of the State speech Tuesday morning. Chief Justice Louis Lavorato will deliver his annual report on the condition of the state's court system on Wednesday.
But lawmakers were moving quickly on several issues, including renewable fuels. Leaders plan to gather in a joint session on Thursday to get a briefing on what can be done to increase the use of alternative fuels such as ethanol.
"I think that can be the top issue of this session," Gronstal said.
Senate Democratic President Jack Kibbie, of Emmetsburg, vowed to renew his effort to require that every gallon of gasoline sold in the state be blended with ethanol, an effort he said gets new momentum this year because of soaring gasoline and heating costs.
"All the easy energy in America has already been discovered," Kibbie said.
Senate Republican President Jeff Lamberti, of Ankeny, said he'll join that push with an effort to expand the use of E-85, gasoline featuring an 85 percent blend of ethanol.
"We should seize the opportunity to move renewable fuels into the future," Lamberti said.
Republican leaders in the House also said they would move quickly to renew their drive to repeal the state income tax on pensions and Social Security income.
Projections have shown that would cost the state about $242.6 million, but House Majority Leader Chuck Gipp, R-Decorah, dismissed that projection.
"We know that the impact on the state's budget is not as marked as what the Department of Revenue and Finance thinks," he said.
A measure to phase the tax out over five years was introduced Monday in the House's tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
There was a long list of challenges to the pledges of cooperation. Lawmakers of both parties want to toughen the state's sex abuse laws, and some Republican want to include reinstating the death penalty as part of that debate. Gronstal has vowed to block that effort.
In addition, a lawsuit challenging a state law banning gay marriages is likely to spark a debate over writing that ban into the state's constitution.
There were a couple of poignant moments as the Legislature convened.
Rep. Ray Zirkelbach, D-Monticello, is heading to Iraq with his National Guard unit and will miss the entire session.
House Democratic Leader Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, asked that an American flag be placed on his desk "to honor Ray's service to his country."
"His empty seat will be a constant reminder to all of us of the sacrifice that over 1,000 Iowa Guardsmen and women from the Mississippi to the Missouri make on our behalf every day," Rants said.
In addition, Rep. Mary Lou Freeman, R-Alta, underwent breast cancer surgery last week. She's expected to return to the Legislature later in the session.
AP-CS-01-09-06 1402EST
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