TENTH WEEK OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION
This week marked the second legislative funnel deadline. To remain eligible for consideration, most bills had to pass one chamber and a committee in the opposite chamber.
However, bills assigned to the Appropriations or Ways & Means committees are exempt from funnel deadlines. Another procedural option lawmakers use is placing a bill on the “Unfinished Business Calendar,” which allows bills that have passed one chamber but not cleared a committee—to remain under consideration at leadership’s discretion.
The Legislature’s focus shifts to finalizing the budget and negotiating key issues where the House and Senate have differing positions.
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
With the second funnel now behind us, ISC is having a very successful year advancing our priorities. This week, the Senate unanimously passed our bill to eliminate the “celebrity deer tag” (43–0). In addition, after clearing the Senate unanimously last week, the House Natural Resources Committee also unanimously approved our bill to give the Natural Resources Commission more flexibility in issuing doe tags to nonresident hunters in counties with low deer populations.
Please keep the momentum going by contacting your House members and urging them to support our two ISC-backed bills, SF 424, eliminating the celebrity deer tag, and SF 2318, NRC flexibility
issuing doe tags to nonresidents.
BILL TRACKER
** New Information highlighted in yellow**
**Bills ISC supports are in green**
**Bills ISC opposes are in red**
**Bills ISC is monitoring are in blue**
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
With the second funnel now complete, two ISC-supported bills remain in play and just need to pass the House before heading to the governor for signature. Both bills have already passed the Senate unanimously.
We encourage you to contact members of the House Ways & Means Committee and urge them to pass SF 424, which eliminates the “celebrity deer tag.” Please also reach out to your House members and ask them to support SF 2318, a bill that gives the Natural Resources Commission flexibility to determine whether nonresident hunters in low deer population counties must purchase a doe tag.
In addition, please take a moment to thank Natural Resources Committee Chairs Sen. Annette Sweeney and Rep. Devon Wood for their leadership this session. Sen. Sweeney worked with Senate leadership to bring the celebrity tag bill to the floor this week, and Rep. Wood has been instrumental in advancing our bills through the committee process. We ask a lot of these legislators, so when they step up to support our conservation goals, it’s important to show our appreciation. Take a couple minutes to tell them “thank you!”
House Priorities
1. Pass SF 424 (In House Ways & Means) — Elimination of the Celebrity Deer Tag.
This bipartisan proposal would reduce pressure on Iowa’s deer herd while continuing to support Iowa conservation groups.
2. Pass SF 2318 – Nonresident Doe Tags in Low Deer Population Counties
Advancing this bill will help ensure science-based deer management decisions can be made efficiently and responsibly.
PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!
Phil Jeneary
