Legislative Update – January 31, 2025

THIRD WEEK OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Things are in full swing with subcommittees and committees voting bills out to be debated on the floor. The House debated for the first time this year and passed two non-controversial bills and passed a casino moratorium in the state.

Bills covering school funding, hands free driving, and cell phone restrictions in schools remain urgent topics.

The Iowa Senate is now at full strength after a special election to fill the vacated seat of now Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer. Mike Zimmer (D) won, and the Senate now stands at 34 Republicans and 16 Democrats.

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

ISC had another successful week at the capitol. SF 83, the companion of HF 65 regarding deer depredation had a subcommittee hearing, where over a dozen hunters and organizations united in opposing this legislation. After hearing all the testimony, the subcommittee voted to not advance the bill. A huge win for hunters, and the struggling deer herd in our state!

Although the bill is still alive in the House, we expect significant discussion and hunting organizations are speaking with members of the committee to defeat the proposal. While some areas of the state have healthy deer populations, much of the state has been severely impacted by disease, particularly EHD.

Keep those emails coming to members of the House Natural Resources Committee!

BILL TRACKER

**New information highlighted in yellow**

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

The hunter voice came out victorious this week as a bill proposing adding deer shooting permits and a yearly January 11-31 depredation season wad defeated in a Senate subcommittee. Nearly a dozen hunters and organizations spoke in opposition to the bill. The subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Dan Zumbach (R), Sen. Ken Rozenboom (R), and Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D), did not advance the bill.

Each week, we ask hunters to make their voices heard, and you have! This victory shows what we can accomplish when we speak with a unified voice. Even with this victory, that bill has a companion in the House that passed a subcommittee last week. Please contact legislators on the House Natural Resources Committee and tell them vote against HF 65 and HF 22 (incentivizing non-residents to buy land and get buck tags). The committee will most likely discuss these bills this coming week.

Also, be sure to email the senators on the subcommittee and thank them for supporting hunters. We often ask them to vote a certain way, so let’s take time to show our appreciation!

House Natural Resources Committee

Senate Natural Resources Committee

DNR Townhalls on 2024 Hunting Season

The DNR is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics.

Meeting dates, times, and locations:

• Glenwood, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m., Southwest Iowa Sportman’s Club, 22869 Jamett Road
• Waverly, Feb. 17, 6 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 W. Bremer Avenue
• Bloomfield, Feb.18 6 p.m., Pioneer Ridge Nature Center, 1339 Hwy. 63
• Boone, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Wildlife Research Station, 1436 255th Street
• Burlington, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Starr’s Cave Nature Center, 11627 Starr’s Cave Park Road
• Chariton, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Pin Oak Lodge, 45996 State Hwy. 14
• Charles City, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., The Pub on the Cedar, 101 North Jackson Street
• Decorah, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Franklin W. Olin Building, Room 102, Luther College, 700 College Drive, next to the Prues Library
• Des Moines, Feb. 18, 6:45 p.m., Des Moines Izaak Walton, 4343 George Flagg Parkway
• Hinton, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Dennis L. Sohl Center for Outdoor Learning, Hillview Recreation Area, 25601 C60
• Spencer, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Iowa Lakes Community College, 1900 Grand Ave. Suite B1, Entrance #1-West side of the North Mall
• Ventura, Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Clear Lake Wildlife Unit Office, 15326 Balsam Ave.
• Algona, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., Tietz Entrepreneurial Center, Algona campus of Iowa Lakes Community College, 2111 Hwy 169 Attendees should enter through the southwest door.
• Iowa City, Feb. 19, 6 p.m., Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Hwy 218 South
• Maquoketa, Feb. 19, 7 p.m., Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd Street
• Perry, Feb. 19, 6:30 p.m., Forest Park Museum administration building, 14581 K Avenue
• Toledo Feb 19, 6 m., Tama County Nature Center at Otter Creek Lake Park, 2283 Park Road
• Creston, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street
• Lake View, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m., Speaker Park Shelter House, 418 North Blossom Street
• Okoboji, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Maser Monarch Lodge, 22785 Nature Center Road

PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!

Phil Jeneary

phil@tightlinesconsultancy.com