Here’s what Iowa lawmakers approved in marathon session

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) -- Iowa Republican legislative leadership chose to keep lawmakers in session through the weekend in search of agreements with each other and Governor Kim Reynolds that proved elusive during their scheduled 100-day session that ended on April 22nd as they made decisions about billions in taxpayer dollars and major policy issues.

The decision meant that some lawmakers slept in the chambers at times during extended breaks while leaders huddled in numerous private meetings to negotiate, legislative staff wrote up the necessary bills and amendments, and legislators met in party strategy meetings.

Among the issues lawmakers decided:

Limit powers of a governor

Both chambers approved House File 2694 to limit a governor’s emergency powers during times of a state disaster emergency declaration which prevents closing churches and requiring vaccines.

However, the House eliminated a provision that would have stated that when a legislature passes a bill that a governor does not sign, then the current fiscal year’s budget would continue into the next fiscal year.

Democrats complained that Republicans were preparing for what could happen if State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, became the next governor but Republicans maintained control of the legislature.

Close warrant resolution clinics

The House and Senate Republican plan would end warrant resolution clinics. Polk County established a clinic to allow people who had warrants for minor offenses to resolve them as a way to settle unresolved cases in a more financially efficient manner.

But one woman with a history of offenses used a clinic one week before getting arrested and later got charged with killing another woman. That ignited the issue with Republicans who led the late-session effort to ban the clinics.

Lawmakers held discussions to provide additional regulations on the clinic as part of broader compromise proposals instead of shutting down the clinics. But those talks were not successful.

Constitutional amendment

House Republicans approved Senate Joint Resolution 11 that Senate Republicans passed last year to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot before voters.

The measure would require a two-thirds majority in both the Iowa House and Senate before lawmakers could raise a statewide tax like a personal or corporate tax. It does not impact local government sales taxes.

The measure would need a simple majority of voter support in this November’s election.