Members of the Iowa legislature hard at work. (Image courtesy of watchdog.org)

Bills regulating bullying control, strip clubs, and Alzheimer’s disease were among the select few to pass the Iowa Legislature’s first “funnel” of the 2013 session. The Des Moines Register reported Saturday on 25 bills that made it past the initial hurdle (and 10 that didn’t), further informing Iowa’s residents what their representatives are backing on their behalf.

While most of the proposed laws seem relatively innocuous – who could argue against increased transparency from the state Board of Regents, an optional 4.5 percent flat income tax, or making “reasonable accommodations” for pregnant workers? – there are a few that Iowans might find less candid and clear-cut.

Here is just a small sampling of what’s up at bat for the state legislature this session:

A nonprofessional “permit to carry” gun license for the state of Iowa. (Image courtesy of usacarry.org)

• H.F. 81: Confidential permit information of weapon carriers and purchasers. According to this bill, the state commissioner of public safety must “maintain a permanent record of all valid permits to carry weapons and of current permit revocations,” and heretofore “keep confidential the names and addresses of holders of nonprofessional permits to carry weapons and permits to acquire pistols or revolvers.” Looks like a few Iowa House members got rubbed the wrong way by the University of Iowa and Johnson County’s recent information-sharing non-scandal. However, it would seem that if one is opting to own a gun – for personal safety or hunting reasons – one should be more than willing to admit to owning a lethal weapon, right?
• S.F. 298: Official definition of a “sex act.” For god knows what reason, the state’s classification of a sexual deed apparently needs to include “ejaculation onto the person of another,” the only addition to this already standing (and surprisingly thorough) legislation. The Register reports that “the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Family Planning Council of Iowa support the bill.” (However, neither provide abortions should one be accidentally ejaculated into.)
• H.F. 186: Optional straight-ticket voting. This law would ensure that ballots “[b]e so constructed or designed as to permit voting for candidates for nomination or election of at least seven different political parties or organizations,” and would remove straight-ticket voting boxes for either Republican or Democratic nominees. I have to side with the Iowa House majority on this one; requiring voters to physically fill in their votes for each office would likely encourage more informed (and potentially varied) votes for state officials. The downside? Taking 10 more seconds to fill in a ballot.
• H.F. 485: Photo ID required to vote. This House bill, unlike the one above, is hard to swallow (possibly because it’s chock full o’ ALEC groupthink). According to the proposed legislation, “[a] precinct election official shall require the voter to present for inspection proof of identification before being allowed to vote,” proof being a document – with photograph – provided by the United States government or the state of Iowa, a higher education or secondary school in Iowa, or a “political subdivision of the state of Iowa.” (Or – and I shit you not – you may have a relative come along to swear an oath on your identity!) And should one refuse to show identification, under this proposed bill? No ID, no vote. Thankfully the Iowa House has taken up this pressing matter, as voter fraud in Iowa/America has clearly decreased the number of “real” votes in this country. (#sarcasm)
• S.S.B. 1163: Transparency from the state Board of Regents. As reported by the Register, “[m]ore transparency would be required of the Iowa Board of Regents, although a provision banning political activity by the Regents has been stripped from the legislation.” While it’s unfortunate that said “political activity ban” has been cut (*cough*Bruce Rastetter*cough*), requiring Regents to hold public input forums in different areas of the state and respond to constituents’ questions would be a step in the right direction.
• H.S.B. 196: School anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies. Changes to this bill would allow Iowa school supervisors to “discipline students for bullying and harassment wherever the actions take place – including online and on social media sites – and whether under school supervision or not,” according to the Register. The state House of Representatives should be lauded for taking on this issue, as it’s not an easy one to regulate. Whispered insults in the hallway and derogatory Facebook comments can be equally damaging to a student, yet only one occurs on school grounds. Should school officials have the authority to punish students for both forms of harassment? Or is it too easy to go overboard, as with disciplining students for pretend guns?

Is bullying outside school within the jurisdiction of school officials? The Iowa House will decide. (Image courtesy of bullyingpreventionnow.com)

What are your thoughts on these proposed bills? Which deserve to be passed, and which are better left for the crows?