Hunter
04/03/23
The Iowa Legislature begins the week addressing bills that passed the second “funnel” deadline.
The deadline slashes the number of bills under consideration after completing the 12th week of this year’s session.
The Gazette reports to survive the second funnel deadline, bills need to pass one chamber, then make it through a subcommittee and committee in the other chamber.
However, Republican legislative leaders, who hold majorities in the Iowa House and Senate, still have ways to keep high-priority bills alive through the end of session.
House Speaker Pat Grassley says the Republican majority will now address property taxes and finding a budget agreement.
Democratic Senator Zach Wahls of Coralville accused Republicans about being more interested in scoring political points than helping Iowans.
Among the bills still alive include the banning teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation, a bill that would require school district employees to notify a student’s family if the student requests to use pronouns or a name different from their sex at birth. Bills adding parents to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and restricting school library books are still in play.
Other bills still alive involve birth control expansion, increased criminal penalties for selling fentanyl, allowing employees to keep guns in locked cars, banning social media for minors, prohibiting phone use while driving, and lifting the ban on major league baseball blackouts in Iowa.