To help them get the training they need, we’re working to create a shared facility to support the training of Iowa’s firefighters, law enforcement and emergency medical responders. By pooling local, state and federal funds, we can develop a high-quality, efficient center.  Given Iowa’s tradition of national leadership in fire service training and safety education, this project makes perfect sense.

Every Iowan will likely receive help from our volunteer emergency workers at some point in their lives. As a small token of appreciation, the Legislature approved and the Governor signed a “thank-you” to volunteer firefighters and EMTs. 

Starting next year, they’ll get a $50 state tax credit on their personal tax returns. It’s the first time that the state has recognized the financial contribution of our volunteer emergency workers, who also donate their time and sometimes risk their lives.

Please be sure to thank your local firefighters and emergency medical responders the next time you see them.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller

New alerts from the Iowa Attorney General’s office will ensure that victims of abuse are better informed about protective orders against their abusers.

In Iowa, victims of abuse must request that the court issue a “no contact” order to legally prevent an abuser from approaching them. A “no contact” order is not enforceable until the abuser is served with the order.

The new Iowa Protective Order Notification for Domestic Abuse Program (IPONDA) will provide near real-time, around-the-clock notifications by telephone or e-mail. Registered victims will know if a “no contact” order has been served or if a “no contact” order is about to expire.

The alert system is paid for through a grant from the Federal Department of Justice. Those who wish to register for notifications should call 1-888-742-8463 or go to www.registervpo.com.    

Learn more about IPONDA at http://www.iowa.gov/government/ag/helping_victims/contents/IPONDA.html.

A sexually violent predator who’d served his sentence was released from a state-run facility directly into a northwest Iowa nursing home.  There he assaulted an elderly woman, who was also a resident.

House File 2422, as approved by the Senate, would:
** Prohibit any sexually violent predator from being released from a state-run facility to a nursing home or residential care facility;

** Allow nursing homes and residential care facilities to refuse to admit registered sex offenders; and

** Permit facilities to discharge sex offenders who are current residents.

The legislation also establishes a task force on the need for a nursing care facility specifically for sexually violent predators.

Attorney General Tom Miller warns that storms causing widespread damage can create opportunities for shady contractors who make promises they don’t keep. For example, these scam artists may accept payment for cleaning up tree damage and trimming trees and then do little or no actual work.

If you do hire a tree-trimming service, it’s always best to work with local businesses that you know and trust. Don’t pay in advance and make sure you have a clear understanding of the work to be done.

If you’ve been cheated by these so-called “storm chasers,” you can file a complaint at www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov or call the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 800-777-4590.

“Kadyn’s Law” was approved by the Legislature and went immediately into effect when signed by Governor Branstad. The legislation is in memory of Kadyn Halverson, a first-grader who was killed last year by a driver who illegally passed a stopped school bus.

Drivers must stop at least 15 feet away from a stopped bus whenever the red lights are flashing and slow to 20 miles per hour when amber lights are flashing. Failing to do so could now result in fines up to $675 and up to 30 days in jail. Any driver who causes an injury from failing to stop will face higher fines, more jail time and suspension of driver’s license.

While driving, let’s always keep an eye out for schoolchildren, whether we’re near a school bus or not.

This year's Health & Human Services budget was worked on tirelessly by many people, especially those pictured above. From left: Senator Joe Bolkcom, policy analyst Kris Bell, Senator Jack Hatch, and Senator Amanda Ragan.

In Iowa, we respect our elders, care about our neighbors and take action when children are at risk. The Senate put those Iowa values into practice when we approved the Health and Human Services budget.

Here are some of the highlights of the Senate budget in Senate File 2336:

** Helping seniors live as independently as possible. Iowa seniors want to live in their own homes as long as they can. We want our parents and grandparents to live in the most independent setting for as long as possible. Community-based services make that a reality by bringing services to seniors at home. By investing in community-based services, we will save money in the long term by avoiding more costly institutional care.

** Keeping child care available so working families can stay on the job. By providing $8 million for child care assistance, we make it possible for parents working fulltime at low-wage jobs to keep working. Increased support for local childcare providers will make quality childcare easier to find.

** Ensuring safe, stable homes for children at risk. Surveys repeatedly find that Iowa is one of the most “child-friendly” places to raise a family. We want to make sure it stays that way for all Iowa kids. That’s why we’ve approved support for adoption and foster care, children at risk and other initiatives that keep our kids safe and well-cared for.

** Investing in our health care system. We protected doctors, local hospitals and pharmacies from additional cuts, appropriated funding to attract physicians to rural Iowa where shortages are greatest and invested in improving the skills of direct care workers.

** Making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. For example, the Senate budget provides funding for early cancer detection and helps Iowans stop smoking through tobacco prevention programs.

** Helping those hit hardest by the recession. This includes providing assistance for food bank purchases and for health centers that provide services to low-income Iowans.

For more details on the Senate’s Health and Human Services budget, go to http://tiny.cc/HHS2012.

Senator Tom Hancock, the bill’s floor-manager:

Senate Leader Mike Gronstal:

The National Safety Council reports that one in four car crashes is caused by cell phone use. Sending or reading a text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds and makes the risk of a car crash 23 times greater than driving while drunk, according to some studies.

Under Iowa law, no one is to use a cell phone to text, check e-mail or instant message while driving a car, even when stopped. Those under 18 holding a restricted driver’s license may not use any electronic communication or entertainment device while driving.

To learn more about Iowa driving laws aimed at saving lives, go to www.iowadot.gov/CurbitClickit/.

In JUNE of 2011, agreements were hammered out only after legislators met in conference committees.  For example, compromises were found on four major budget bills just 36 hours after they were sent to conference committee.

In 2012, Senate Democrats hope that a public comparison of the House and Senate differences will again quickly result in agreements that will benefit educational opportunity and support job creation efforts.

Below:

• Senate Conference Committee members
• Legislative Conference Committee Rules

Conference Committee members

SF 2313  Admin & Reg budget

• SENATE: Jochum; Danielson; Bowman; Bartz; Ernst.
• HOUSE: Watts; Iverson; Smith; Kelley; Hunter.

SF 2321  Education budget

• SENATE: Schoenjahn; Quirmbach; Horn; Hamerlinck; McKinley.
• HOUSE: Dolecheck; Jorgenson; Cownie; Winkler; Steckman.

SF 2316 RIIF

• SENATE: McCoy; Beall; Dvorsky; Kapucian; Anderson
• HOUSE: Huseman; Chambers; Hein; Cohoon; Quirk.

HF 2338  Judicial

• SENATE: Hogg; Hancock; Fraise; Kettering; Smith
• HOUSE: Representatives Worthan, Horbach, Arnold, T. Taylor, Wolfe

HF 2335  Justice

• SENATE: Hancock, Hogg, Fraise, Seymour, Whitver.
• HOUSE: Representatives Worthan, Horbach, Arnold, T. Taylor, Wolfe

HF 2336 Ag& NR

• SENATE: Black; Dearden; Wilhelm; Houser; Greiner.
• HOUSE: Representatives Drake, Paustian, Alons, Muhlbauer, Lykam

HF 2337 Economic Devolopment

• SENATE: Dotzler; Seng; Mathis; Dix; Bertrand.
• HOUSE: Representatives Schultz, J. Taylor, Baltimore, Hall, Jacoby

Legislative Conference Committee Rules

Excerpted below is Joint Rule #13 detailing the conference committee process:

1. Within one legislative day after either house insists upon an amendment to a bill, the presiding officer of the house, after consultation with the majority leader, shall appoint three majority party members and, after consultation with the minority leader, shall appoint two minority party members to a conference committee.  The majority leader of the senate, after consultation with the president, shall appoint three majority party members and, after consultation with and approval by the minority leader, shall appoint two minority party members to a conference committee.  The papers shall remain with the house that originated the bill.

2.  The conference committee shall meet before the end of the next legislative day after their appointment, shall select a chair and shall discuss the controversy.

3.  The authority of the first conference committee shall cover only issues related to provisions of the bill and amendments to the bill which were adopted by either the senate or the house of representatives and on which the senate and house of representatives differed.  If a conference committee report is not acted upon because such action would violate this subsection of this rule, the inaction on the report shall constitute refusal to adopt the conference committee report and shall have the same effect as if the conference committee had disagreed.

4.  An agreement on recommendations must be approved by a majority of the committee members from each house.  The committee shall submit two originals of the report signed by a majority of the committee members of each house with one signed original and three copies to be submitted to each house.  The report shall first be acted upon in the house originating the bill.  Such action, including all papers, shall be immediately referred by the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives to the other house.

5.  The report of agreement is debatable, but cannot be amended.  If the report contains recommended amendments to the bill, adoption of the report shall automatically adopt all amendments contained therein.  After the report is adopted, there shall be no more debate, and the bill shall immediately be placed upon its final passage.

6.  Refusal of either house to adopt the conference committee report has the same effect as if the committee had disagreed.

7.  If the conference committee fails to reach agreement, a report of such failure signed by a majority of the committee members of each house shall be given promptly to each house.  The bill shall be returned to the house that originated the bill, the members of the committee shall be immediately discharged, and a new conference committee appointed in the same manner as the first conference committee.

8.  The authority of a second or subsequent conference committee shall cover free conference during which the committee has authority to propose amendments to any portion of a bill provided the amendment is within the subject matter content of the bill as passed by the house of origin or as amended by the second house.

The complete document of Joint Senate and House rules can be found here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/ChamberRules/JointRules.pdf