News-Info-Alerts

Re: Senate OKs Bill On Displaying Flags

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: March 22, 2002

"By Register Staff Report
03/20/2002

Senate OKs bill on displaying flags

Iowa schools would be encouraged - not required - to display the American, Iowa and Prisoner of War flags in classrooms under a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate.

House File 2516, approved on a 39-7 vote, also says school districts or teachers may establish policies requiring a moment of silence in classrooms.

The legislation, spurred by the Sept. 11 attacks, is a way to inspire schools to instill good citizenship and patriotic values in students, said Sen. Jeff Angelo, a Creston Republican.

Critics said the bill was unnecessary and, in some ways, offensive.

"It's an attempt by a lot of politicians to wrap themselves in the American flag," said Sen. Michael Connolly, a Dubuque Democrat. The moment-of-silence proposal "goes over the line. It takes away our freedoms and our rights to privacy."

The bill, already passed by the House in a different form, returns to that chamber for more debate.

Adoption measure on way to governor

Iowa would legally recognize international adoptions under a bill on its way to Gov. Tom Vilsack.

On a 93-0 vote, the House gave final legislative approval Tuesday to House File 2190.

Under current state law, if an adoption occurs in a child's country of origin, an additional adoption must occur in Iowa as well. The process can cost about $1,200 per child, in addition to the thousands of dollars people typically spend for an international adoption.

The law would eliminate that double adoption process and make things easier and cheaper for Iowans adopting from abroad.

Among parents who advocated for the change were Marvin and Pat Morris of Granger. When the couple adopted 5-year-old Josie Magdala Morris from Haiti last August, they had no idea that Iowa is one of the few states in the nation that does not legally recognize international adoptions.


House passes bill on registry access

Iowa hospitals would have access to the state's abuse registry to do background checks on potential employees under a bill given final legislative approval Tuesday.

The House voted 93-0 for Senate File 2231 and sent it to Gov. Tom Vilsack.

Rep. Greg Hoversten, a Sioux City Republican and doctor, said only nursing homes currently have access to the"single contact repository," the new state database that is supposed to make it easier to do background checks and weed out bad job applicants.


Keeping track of the Legislature

The governor and Legislature have taken the following actions:

SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

SF2145 - Relates to terminology and eligibility for assistance under the sewage treatment and drinking water facilities financing program.

HF2338 - Relates to a person registering as a sex offender in a county where an institution of higher education is located, and provides penalties.

HF2475 - Provides for the establishment and perfection of a security interest in certain education loans.

HF2395 - Relates to child support, including provisions relating to medical support and the calculation of the child support.

PASSED IN HOUSE

SF429 - Changes certain definitions related to price regulation, permitting certain rate increases, and requiring certain network infrastructure investments. Vote: 85-0. Sent to Senate.

HF2555 - Creates new criminal offenses, providing for enhancements and penalties, and relating to judicial records. Vote: 87-0. Sent to Senate.

HF2455 - Prohibits the inclusion of federal Social Security numbers in documents prepared for recording in the office of county recorder. Vote: 92-0. Sent to Senate.

PASSED IN SENATE

HF2338 - Regards non-resident registering as a sex offender in a county where an institution of higher education is located. Vote: 49-0. Sent to governor.

SF437 - Regards registration and titling of all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. Vote: 47-0. Sent to governor.

SF2299 - Review by the Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board of county supervisor redistricting plans. Vote: 49-0. Sent to House.

SF2305 - Regards administration of the tax and related laws by the Department of Revenue and Finance. Vote: 49-0. Sent to House.

SF2282 - Regards efficiency and effectiveness of economic-development related, work force-development related and business-inspection related programs administered by the state. Vote: 38-11. Sent to House.

Copyright © 2002, The Des Moines Register."