Legislative Digest
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By Times Des Moines Bureau | Friday, January 26, 2007 |
A Republican state lawmaker complained Thursday that a bill forcing schools to adopt anti-bullying policies that expressly bar harassment of gay and lesbian students is really an attempt by Democrats to push a gay rights agenda.
Rep. Jodi Tymeson, R-Winterset, used the movie the “The Wizard of Oz” to illustrate her point in a speech the morning after the bill cleared committee.
“That is what Toto exposed when he pulled back the curtain last night,” Tymeson said on the House floor. “This bill does not stop bullying in Iowa. It places words on paper in the code of Iowa to push forward an agenda.”
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, called the charge “just ludicrous.”
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, defended the bill.
“Our hidden agenda is that we think no student in Iowa ought to be beaten up because of who people think they are, what they think their sexual preference is, real or perceived.”
The Senate is expected to debate the anti-bullying bill next week.
FAIR SHARE — Democratic legislative leaders said Thursday they’re still not ready to move ahead with a controversial change in business-labor relations.
Some Democrats are pushing for “fair-share” legislation that would require non-union employees to pay a fee for any union-negotiated benefits they use. Opponents of the bill, who charge that Democrats are trying to weaken Iowa’s Right to Work law, have pledged to mount an all-out offensive to stop fair share in its tracks.
So far, Democrats who control the House, the Senate and the governor’s office have been reluctant to say when or even if they’ll try to pass fair share this year. Republican critics claim that Democrats are quietly organizing their forces to push for the bill.
“I think it’s still a work in progress,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs. “Until we have a bill it’s hard to say we have 26 votes.”
THE FUTURE IS HERE — The Legislature played host to future farmers Thursday, as dozens of FFA chapters met with state leaders and toured the Statehouse.
Matt Shultz, advisor to the FFA chapter at Ventura High School, said the most memorable moment for most students was seeing the grandeur of the Statehouse for the first time. FFA is an extracurricular group for students interested in careers in agriculture. Thursday was the group’s annual trip to lobby legislators.
SHUTTLE LAUNCH — With the Statehouse parking crunch in mind, the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority will begin offering a shuttle service to the Capitol from the State Historical Building and from a state parking ramp located northwest of the Statehouse.
The shuttle, which looks like a trolley with wheels, will run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning Monday. Parking problems surfaced after two large lots west of the Capitol were removed to make way for a park. The shuttle is free.
Todd Dorman can be contacted at (515) 243-0138 or at todd.dorman@lee.net.
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