For many bills, it's 'do or die' this week
By JASON CLAYWORTH and JENNIFER JACOBS • REGISTER STAFF WRITERS • March 25, 2008

Hundreds of legislative proposals are in jeopardy of meeting their death this week as Iowa lawmakers close in on a Friday procedural deadline.

Among the bills needing action are worker identification requirements related to immigration, expansion of Iowa's bottle bill, a new fee on reports filed by nonprofit groups, a livestock odor mitigation proposal and an idea to scrap gift card expiration dates.

This week marks the second of two so-called "funnel" deadlines that lawmakers impose as a way to weed out thousands of proposals made before each general assembly. To survive, most bills must have passed either the House or Senate and be approved by a committee in the opposite chamber.

Bills related to appropriations or taxation are generally exempt from the deadline. Bills that fail to meet the hurdles are typically considered dead, although legislative leaders have opportunities to call up the proposals if they choose.

Some of the most publicized proposals, such as a statewide smoking ban or a plan to expand health insurance coverage for children, have either already progressed past certain procedural hurdles or are exempt because they deal with budget issues.

One of the most heated issues that faces this week's deadline is a proposal that would require new employees in Iowa to show a Midwest driver's license or state-issued identification.

The idea would cost the state more than $1 million a year to enforce, according to the state's Legislative Services Agency. It would help curb illegal hiring of undocumented workers, advocates said.

Opponent Alicia Claypool, a spokeswoman for the Iowa Immigration Education Coalition, said she hopes House File 2610 fails to meet this week's deadline. Federal laws already dictate similar rules.

The state's plan would foster more racial profiling, she said.

"I don't think our state will be any better as a result of passing this bill," Claypool said.

House File 2610 has passed the House Labor Committee. Legislative leaders said Monday they intend to take action as early as today to keep the bill alive.

House Majority Speaker Pat Murphy, a Dubuque Democrat, noted that majority leaders will attempt to push many of the proposals past this week's deadline.

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