CHRISTIAN COALITION OF IOWA

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Norm Pawlewski – Lobbyist

April 25 – April 29, 2005

Picture two vehicles, one blue, one red, approaching each other head on down the middle of the road.  Unless the blue vehicle moves to the right of center or the red vehicle moves to the left of center, there will be a collision.  It’s a game of “chicken”; it’s being played out in the Iowa Senate, and it’s not about ideology but about other intangibles.  It’s about power, playing to your base, personalities and positioning for the 2006 election cycle.  It’s also about money.  A lot of  money.  Of thirteen appropriation bills passed by the House, only two have been sent to the Governor for signature.  Of the eleven remaining appropriations, six have not been passed by a Senate Committee and are, therefore, not on the debate calendar in that body.  In each of these bills, there is appropriated by the House less money than the Governor requested and less than what the Democrats want to spend.  In any case, none of the interested parties, Governor, Senate and House Democrats, or Senate and House Republicans are happy with the appropriations that can be made based on anticipated tax receipts.  Because of the Senate deadlock, neither side can force the other to compromise.  We, therefore, have a Senate not ready to adjourn the session on the 110^th day which was April 29^th.  They will be meeting during the first week of May and possibly into the second week.  By law, although the House had completed its work, they are forced to stay in session and return at least every three days to complete any bills referred to them by the Senate. 

HF619 Sex Offender Registry Task Force is intended to strengthen Iowa’s sex offender statutes.  Some of the more stringent provisions would:

·        Raise the penalty for many offenses of lascivious acts with a child to a class C felony from a class D felony.

·        Life in prison for second offense of lascivious acts with a child or other more serious sex offense.

·        Expand public access to sex offender registry information and prohibit a fee for information.

·        Expand monitoring of sex offenders, including lifetime monitoring class C felons; 10 years for others.

·        Require sex offenders to complete treatment programs in prison in order to qualify for good time sentence reductions. 

·        Establishes an automated victim notification system (SF331 Victim & Witness Notification approved by the Senate earlier, but not the House.  SF331 established an automated Victim Notification System (VINE), under the direction of the Attorney General, to inform crime victims of procedural matters, releases, or escapes.)

·        Extends the statute of limitations with respect to sexual abuse where a DNA match is made.

Republican Senator Larry McKibben and fifteen other Republican sponsors have offered a death penalty amendment to HF 619.  The key provisions of this amendment are:

·        Reinstates death penalty for those who are convicted of kidnap, sexual assault and murder of a minor.

·        Exempts those who are mentally ill, mentally retarded, or under age 18 from being subject to the death penalty.

·        Requires two-phase trial with determination of guilt and penalty done in separate phases.

·        Requires Supreme Court to set minimum qualifications for counsel in capital cases.

·        Requires automatic appeal directly to Iowa Supreme Court, taking precedence over other criminal appeals.

·        Requires unanimous recommendation by jury of death sentence.

·        Requires use of lethal injections.

Senate Republicans claim this limited use of the death penalty for the “worst of the worst” is supported by at least 2/3 of Iowa’s citizens. 

Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Mike Gronstal, claim the Republicans know there aren’t enough votes in the Senate or the House to pass a death penalty and are therefore playing political games and “an exercise in politics, not in policy”.  Sen. Gronstal is opposed to the death penalty and believes debating it would divide the Senate (really?) and that life in prison serves as an effective death penalty in Iowa. 

If you favor the Republican position, a possibility of a death penalty for child murderers or the Democrat position, no death penalty under any circumstances, call your Senator and/or Senate leaders and voice your opinion. 

Get on our web site IOWACHRISTIAN.COM to find out how to contact your Senator and Republican leaders Senator Stu Iverson and Senator Jeff Lamberti or Democrat leaders, Senator Mike Gronstal and Senator Jack Kibbie.   

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