SITZMANN BILL PASSES IN THE HOUSE
A Plymouth County legislator saw his first bill pass through the House. Rep. Travis Sitzmann of Kingsley introduce a bill that addresses reimbursements for transporting state facility inmates.
Sitzmann says he did not originate the bill, and had some help in leading it through on the floor of the House.
There is a companion bill now working through the Senate.
WESTFIELD CHASE ENDS IN ARREST
Early Sunday morning a Plymouth County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation. When the deputy turned around and began to catch up, the vehicle drove off at a high rate of speed. The deputy was unable to catch the vehicle to initiate the stop but located it at a residence in Westfield, Iowa. The driver was located and identified as Jesus Gonzalez, age 24 of Westfield. Through investigation, a search warrant was obtained and ultimately Gonzalez was arrested on multiple charges to include possession of various controlled substances, OWI, and speeding.
GOP LAWMAKERS URGE CARBON PIPELINE FOES TO KEEP LOBBYING
Iowa Senate Republicans who oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline are urging Iowans to lobby members of the Senate to protect property rights. During a news conference at the Iowa Capitol, Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City said land owners who oppose the project cannot give up and must persist. Republicans in the senate say they are working with a Republican who supports the pipeline, in hopes of passing some eminent domain protections. House Republicans are preparing a package of pipeline-related proposals, but House G-O-P bills on the subject have never been considered in the senate over the past three years.
SENATE ADJUSTS, THEN APPROVES GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED CELL PHONE POLICY
The legislature is still tinkering with the governor’s plan to require that Iowa school districts adopt policies that restrict students from using smart phones when they’re in classes. Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, says the bill is designed to give a nudge to Iowa public schools that haven’t developed a smart phone policy yet.
The bill won unanimous approval in the Senate Monday. Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, notes the bill doesn’t prohibit cell phones during class, but calls for restrictions.
The House approved a bill on the topic last week. Monday, senators added a requirement that Iowa’s Education Department provide model cell phone guidelines to schools by May 1st. The policies must be in place on July 1st. Senator Sarah Trone Garriott of Waukee and other Democrats argued the no-cell-phones-in-class requirement should apply to Iowa’s private schools, too.
Republican senators voted down that idea. Governor Reynolds also had recommended sixth, seventh and eighth grade students undergo social media training in school, but that proposal was removed from the bill by the House last week.
IOWA SEES SHORTAGE OF FOSTER FAMILIES AS KIDS FACE GOING TO EMERGENCY SHELTERS
Iowa saw more children in foster care who were referred to a home last year than there were licensed foster families, according to Four Oaks, the state’s contractor for licensing foster and adoptive parents. Kai (KYE) McGee, director of foster care and adoption at the nonprofit, says the gap is actually worse, as not every home is always readily available to take in a child. McGee says children who don’t have relatives to stay with must leave wherever they live, then they may end up spending some time in emergency shelters. There were about 24-hundred referrals for children needing a foster home last year, and only about 17-hundred licensed foster families. Four Oaks C-E-O Mary Beth O’Neill says rates need to go up to recruit more parents. The typical rate is about 600 dollars a month per child, depending on the child’s age and needs. McGee says foster parents are essentially unpaid volunteers, who don’t usually break even.
