May 26, 2009

 

The Honorable Michael Mauro

Secretary of State

State Capitol Building

L O C A L

 

Dear Mr. Secretary:

 

I hereby transmit Senate File 475, an Act relating to and making appropriations to the justice system, and including effective and retroactive applicability date provisions. Senate File 475 is approved on this date, with the exceptions noted below, which I hereby disapprove.

 

I am unable to approve the item designated as Section 4, subsection 5 in its entirety. Subsection 5 calls for the Department of Corrections to eliminate the chief security officer position by June 30, 2011. My Administration last year made establishment of this position a high priority in order to maintain consistent security procedures and policies within the Department of Corrections. I disapprove this language because it infringes upon the Executive Branch authority to staff this much-needed position.

 

I am unable to approve the item designated as Section 5, subsection 6 in its entirety. This provision would require all Community Based Correctional (CBC) Facilities to accept offenders transferred from other judicial districts without consideration of evidence-based practices regarding supervisional status.  I disapprove this language because it would cause each CBC facility to lose control of the types and number of offenders whom they serve in their residential program.

 

For the above reasons, I respectfully disapprove the designated items in accordance with Article III, Section 16 of the Constitution of the State of Iowa.  All other items in Senate File 475 are hereby approved this date.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Chester J. Culver

Governor

 

cc: Secretary of the Senate

Chief Clerk of the House

 

CJC:rco