Legislation on Sex Offenders, Bonding Key to Adjournment

After months of work behind closed doors, Iowa lawmakers emerged last weekend with details of legislation about sex offenders and bonding that were key to shutdown of the 2009 session.

Friday, April 24, brought final legislative passage of Senate File 340, intended to reform the state's sex-offender law and bring Iowa closer into compliance with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.

Senate File 340 would classify sex offenders into three tiers and prohibit sex offenders from working, loitering, or being present within 300 feet of "exclusionary zones," areas that children frequent such as schools, child-care centers, playgrounds, arcades, pools, and fairs. The 2,000-foot residency law would apply only to those who have committed the worst offenses against children.

"Because of the emotion surrounding this issue, some of you have had concern about the politics of this during the next election," said Clel Baudler (R-Greenfield), a retired state trooper. "I will give you my word here today that if that happens, if you support this legislation with a 'yes' vote and that vote is used against you in the next election or the one thereafter, you just call me and I will be there. And I can almost guarantee you that the law enforcement community will be with me."

Then on Saturday, April 25, the legislature put the final touches on a three-part, $765-million plan to bond for infrastructure, dubbed "I-JOBS" and championed by Culver as a way to speed up Iowa's recovery after last year's floods and create jobs.

"I feel really good about the fact that we got this done," Culver told reporters minutes after final passage of the plan. "It was my signature legislative item this session. It was the focal point of my Condition of the State speech."

As for Republican criticism that the bonding plan will put the state's children in debt, Culver said that Iowa ranks 48th in the nation in debt load, and even if the state tripled its debt, it would rank 47th.

"I think they needed an excuse to vote against a bill," Culver said. "And they're going to have a lot of explaining to do to the voters next fall. What do you say to a flood victim? If you voted against this bill, you voted against helping the University of Iowa rebuild their campus. You voted against flood victims."

Governor Makes Appointments to Replace Those Denied Confirmation

Culver this week appointed his chief of staff, Charlie Krogmeier, as the new director of the Iowa Department of Human Services. Gene Gessow, his previous pick for the post, was not confirmed by the Senate.

Krogmeier will get about a $7,000 pay raise with the job change.

A day earlier, Culver reappointed two of his nominees that were earlier rejected by the Iowa Senate; he simply switched their assignments.

Shearon Elderkin of Cedar Rapids was appointed to the Iowa Power Fund Board, while Carrie La Seur of Mount Vernon was appointed to the Environmental Protection Commission.

Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) said Culver's re-nominations show a lack of leadership: "I ask Governor Culver to show some leadership, reconsider these two appointments, and get serious about growing Iowa's economy through the creation of new electrical generation instead of throwing a temper tantrum because he did not get his way."

McKinley said he'd still have concerns about Elderkin and La Seur: "They were activists who stood in the way of Iowa developing the necessary energy and electric generation that the state badly needs for continued economic growth. Elderkin was wanting to exceed EPA standards. These leftist policies are not serving Iowans well."

But members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement said they are pleased with the reappointment of the two women, who have until April 15 to be confirmed by the Iowa Senate.

Culver also appointed Tomas Rodriguez as Iowa's state public defender, and John Mathes as interim commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home for a second time. Culver announced in March that he did not plan to reappoint Dan Steen as commandant, saying that he was considering changes and improvements to better meet the needs of our veterans.

This weekly summary comes from IowaPolitics.com, an online government and politics news service. IowaPolitics.com staff contributed to this report.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed