Republicans advance ‘personhood’ bill in Senate

Senate Republicans advanced a bill that, after it was amended during floor debate, became a so-called personhood bill, one that creates a state law that provides legal protections to an unborn fetus.

As amended, Senate File 523 passed the Senate on a party line 31-18 vote with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing. It is eligible for consideration in the House, which must pass it out of committee by the end of next week's legislative deadline to keep it eligible for consideration later this session.

The bill started as a proposal to increase penalties for people convicted of causing the termination of a pregnancy without the pregnant mother's consent, whether intentionally or accidentally. That proposal was approved unanimously - by both Republicans and Democrats - by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

UNCOMMON LAWMAKERS: Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale, and Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa, were named the 2019 Uncommon Public Service Award winners.

Forbes, who owns a Des Moines pharmacy and is a former member of the Urbandale City Council, is in his fourth term in the House. He is an assistant minority leader and sits on the Human Resources, Transportation, Ways and Means, and Administrative Rules committees.

Rozenboom, a farmer and ag businessman, sits on the Agriculture, Appropriations and Education committees and chairs the Natural Resources and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.

The award is presented annually by the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association to Iowa legislators who exemplify the late President Hebert Hoover's humanitarian efforts and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to demonstrate uncommon service and commitment to the people of Iowa. Hoover is a West Branch native.

STUN GUNS: Iowa community colleges and regent universities could not ban from campuses what are commonly referred to as stun guns under SF 188, which was advanced by a House Public Safety subcommittee. SF 188 has been approved 39-9 by the Senate.

Stun guns direct an electric current, impulse, wave or beam that produces a high-voltage pulse designed to immobilize a person. Unlike Tasers, they do not fire probes that carry the electric current.

Under Iowa law a stun gun is considered a dangerous weapon and no one younger than 21 is allowed to carry one. However, SF 188 would allow people 18 to 21 years of age to carry stun guns.

Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, described stun guns as the self-defense 'tool of last resort.”

'It may the last thing we have to defend ourselves,” said Rep. Phyllis Thede, D-Bettendorf, and despite some concerns, 'I don't want to take that away.”

To be eligible for House debate, SF 188 must be approved by the Public Safety Committee before April 5.

LIVING ROADWAYS: The Iowa Department of Transportation is accepting applications for funding though the Iowa Living Roadway Trust Fund. Cities, counties and organizations with a statewide focus may apply by 4 p.m. June 1.

These projects serve to educate the public about the need to ensure that roadside vegetation is preserved, planted, and maintained, which adds to the safety, ecological integration and visual interest of Iowa's roads.

Established by the Iowa Legislature in 1988, the trust has funded more than $17 million for research and demonstration projects, vegetation inventories, education and training programs, gateway landscaping, snow and erosion control, and roadside enhancement and maintenance.

For information, visit iowadot.gov/lrtf/grants.

VOLUNTEER HOURS: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports that 10,621 volunteers spent over 209,500 hours volunteering throughout the state on projects including cleaning trash along Iowa's waterways through Project AWARE, instructing Hunter Education courses, serving as campground hosts or working on numerous miscellaneous projects within state parks and volunteering with Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff.

With the upcoming centennial celebration of state parks, Parks 2020, this year, parks staff and friends groups are encouraging visitors and community members to get active in their local state park. Throughout the year, there will be several volunteer opportunities at each of the state parks.

For information on volunteer opportunities, visit iowadnr.gov/about-dnr/volunteer-opportunities.

SAFE DRIVERS: Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Transportation are promoting the Parent's Supervised Driving Program as a simple, easy-to-follow plan to help parents and guardians encourage teens to learn safe driving habits.

In addition, the free program includes the Road Ready mobile app for smartphones that helps families log and manage the hours a new driver spends behind the wheel.

The program consists of a guidebook that will be provided to Iowa teens obtaining an instruction permit at any driver's license issuance site. It can be downloaded at eregulations.com/driving/iowa.

The Parent's Supervised Driving Program is in use in more than 26 states. More information is available at iowadot.gov/mvd/driverslicense/under-18.