MINUTES

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

June 25, 1997 -- Second Meeting of the 1997-1998 Biennium

MEMBERS PRESENT

MEETING IN BRIEF

Minutes prepared by Michael J Goedert, Senior Legal Counsel
Organizational staffing by John Pollak, Committee Services Administrator

1. Procedural Business.
2. Procedural Business.
3. Interim Studies Recommendation.
4. County Issuance of Motor Vehicle Licenses Study Committee -- Request for Funding.
5. Legislative Oversight Committee.
6. Materials Received by the Committee.
7. Attachment. (not included in web site version)

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

1. Procedural Business.

Call to order. The second meeting of the Studies Committee of the Legislative Council for 1997-1998 was called to order by Chairperson Representative Chuck Gipp at 10:43 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25, 1997, in Room 24 of the State Capitol Building in Des Moines, Iowa.

Minutes Approved. The motion to approve the minutes of the May meeting mailed to the members was adopted without discussion.

Adjournment. The Committee was adjourned at 11:36 a.m.

2. Interim Studies Recommendation.

Proposed Studies Listing. Vice Chairperson Iverson distributed a listing of proposed interim studies developed by the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. This listing was revised to reflect the Studies Committee decisions and incorporated into the report of the Studies Committee to the Legislative Council. A copy of the revised report is attached to these minutes.

Taxation Study. Chairperson Gipp proposed that the number of days for the Taxation Task Force be changed to five days instead of the four listed. This proposal was adopted unanimously.
Senator Gronstal asked if the 11 public members on the Taxation Task Force would be voting or not and who would select them. Chairperson Gipp's response was that those members would not be voting, and that in accordance with the guidelines for interim study committees, they would be chosen by the legislative leaders. Vice Chairperson Iverson added that the Co-chairpersons of the Task Force would make recommendations to the leaders who would then make the selections. He explained that the process would include consultation with the minority leaders.

Value-Added Production. It was agreed to recommend that a Value-Added Production Task Force would be created in accordance with 1997 Iowa Acts, Senate File 542, to assist in negotiations with potential entities involving value-added agricultural processes as provided in that Act. However, this Task Force would not be listed as an interim study committee.

Juvenile Justice Study. Representative Schrader moved to recommend that an additional interim committee be created that consisted of the study requests in Senate File 515 - Juvenile Justice and Juvenile Crime; House File 715 - Juvenile Justice Issues Oversight Task Force; and House File 715 - Youth Services Department. The motion lost on a record roll call of three for and six against with Senator Gronstal, Representative Cohoon, and Representative Schrader voting yes and Chairperson Gipp, Vice Chairperson Iverson, Senator Boettger, Senator Kramer, Representative Corbett, and Representative Van Maanen voting no.

Sex Offender Registry. Representative Schrader moved to recommend the creation of a study of the sex offender registry statute with two meeting days. The motion lost three to six with Senator Gronstal, Representative Cohoon, and Representative Schrader voting yes and Chairperson Gipp, Vice Chairperson Iverson, Senator Boettger, Senator Kramer, Representative Corbett, and Representative Van Maanen voting no.

Workers' Compensation Study. Representative Schrader moved to strike the proposal to create a study of contested workers' compensation claims. Chairperson Gipp explained there was discussion of creating this study when legislation on this topic was considered. The motion failed on a voice vote.

Urban Planning Study. The Committee discussed the proposed urban planning study and its differences from the one proposed by the resolution adopted by the General Assembly. Representative Ed Fallon, who was present at the meeting, addressed the Committee in regard to this study. He noted that the proposal contained in the proposed interim studies list does not provide for funding as suggested by the resolution and that the number of legislative members and meeting days and nonvoting status of public members are different from the resolution. A motion to structure the proposed urban planning study as provided in the resolution adopted by the General Assembly was withdrawn and the proposed one was accepted. Representative Van Maanen noted a long-standing policy of legislative leaders that discourages the mandating of studies in legislation because it becomes difficult to balance the needs of various studies within available resources.

School Finance. In response to Senator Gronstal's query about adding a study relating to school finance, Chairperson Gipp stated that such a study would be premature because the Taxation Task Force could be considering funding for schools.

Infrastructure -- Utility Restructuring. By a vote of three yeas and six nays the motion by Representative Cohoon to establish an interim committee dealing with infrastructure was defeated. Voting yes were Senator Gronstal, Representative Cohoon, and Representative Schrader. Voting no were Chairperson Gipp, Vice Chairperson Iverson, Senators Boettger and Kramer, Speaker Corbett, and Representative VanMaanen. Representative Gronstal's motion for a study of the effect on Iowans of utility restructuring was defeated by voice vote.
The Committee unanimously adopted the proposed legislative studies listing as amended.

3. County Issuance of Motor Vehicle Licenses Study Committee -- Request for Funding.

The Committee considered a request by the County Issuance of Motor Vehicle Licenses Study Committee for an authorization of $50,000 to conduct a survey and to gather other information needed to carry out the charge of the Study Committee. After some discussion, a recommendation for funding was approved in the amount of $20,000.

4. Legislative Oversight Committee.

The Committee discussed the creation of a Legislative Oversight Committee under the Legislative Council. The new committee would be patterned after the present Administrative Rules Review Committee and would provide review and analysis of the structure and operations of state government in providing services and enhancing the public ability to interact with government. The Committee voted to recommend to the Legislative Council the creation of a Legislative Oversight Committee as provided in the proposal submitted to the members.

5. Materials Received by the Committee.

The following materials were received by the Committee and filed with the Legislative Service Bureau:

• a. Proposed Interim Study Committees.
• b. Compilation of Studies Information, Revised.
• c. Additional Requests for Studies.
• d. Funding Request by County Issuance of Motor Vehicle Licenses Study Committee.
• e. Proposed Legislative Oversight Committee.

6. Attachment.

Report of the Studies Committee to the Legislative Council.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE:

| Charge | Members | Staff |

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