Early Out for State Lawmakers?

In a normal non-voting year, the Iowa General Assembly is in session 100 days beginning the second Monday in January. In a move to send legislators home early, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) has informally moved up the funnel deadlines by one week.

Generally speaking, funnel deadlines require bills to have advanced to a certain level by some date, otherwise they’re killed. The Session Timetable says that by March 13, Senate bills must be reported out of Senate committees and House bills must be reported out of House committees for them to receive any further consideration. Senator Gronstal’s informal acceleration of the process would require Senate bills to be reported out of Senate Committees this Friday, March 6, but would have no effect on the House funnel deadlines. The Senate Majority Leader could implement this by not scheduling any committee meetings other than Appropriations, Ways & Means after this week, and bills not moved out would effectively die.

This move by Senator Gronstal reflects the fact that state revenues continue to fall which eliminates the need to stay in session and wait for the April revenue estimation. During growth years there is incentive to stay and spend the new money projected in the revenue estimate. The state would save some much needed money on those days they are not in session.