Shipley: DNR doesn’t need legislation to close housing

Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part story. On Saturday, Rep. Tom Moore (R-Griswold) and Sen. Tom Shipley (R-Nodaway) met with constituents for a legislative coffee sponsored by Creston Chamber of Commerce. In a story published in Monday’s CNA, Moore and Shipley briefly highlighted what the House and Senate have been working on this legislative session. Below are questions from members of the public in attendance.

After the Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced plans to evict more than two dozen park rangers and other state parks workers from government-owned houses earlier this month, Richard Moberg asked, in general, “What’s the story?”

The DNR made the announcement due to an estimated $1 million expense of needed renovations and maintenance of the homes. Shipley said as far as the cost, he understands the DNR’s point of view, but said he also understands the rangers’ point of view, too.

“Most states don’t provide those to their people and not all parks in Iowa provide them,” said Shipley. “I just learned about it last summer when it was proposed and I know there’s some people who are concerned about it.”

Shipley said the issue has not been brought up in the legislature and the DNR can make that decision without the involvement of the state legislature. Moore declined to comment because he was not familiar with the DNR’s plan.

Richard Herron asked what is left to pass the Freedom Act.

Moore said the act has to pass two general assemblies before it goes to a public vote in 2024. He said it has nothing to do with constitutional, or permitless, carry of a firearm.

“All that has to do with is putting in to our (state) constitution Second Amendment rights, because we have constitutional carry right now,” said Moore. “All this does is the right to keep and bear arms. The wording is a little different than the federal Constitution, but the right to keep and bear arms now will become a part of, voted on by the people, will become part of the (state) constitution.”

Even though permits are not required to carry, Moore suggested to those who have them, to keep them.

“The reason is for that is, if you are interested in purchasing and you have your carry permit, that allows you to walk in to a firearms dealer and purchase and take that weapon with you that day because you have gone through a background check to get your carry permit. But if you don’t have a permit, you’re still allowed to carry in Iowa now, but you’ll have to go through a federal background check before that firearm dealer will let you take that firearm out of their store. So it’s a convenience for you.”

Moore said a permit to carry offers an advantage to those traveling to other states with reciprocity laws. While some states may not allow constitutional carry, they may offer reciprocity laws protecting the rights of those with a permit to carry.

Chuck Teutsch asked about House File 2061 Convention of states, house file 2105 daylight savings time, House fiel 2119 medical abortions.

Moore said he’s in favor of he assembly of convention of states. a national effort to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution, restricted to proposing amendments that will impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.

“A lot of the rhetoric out there is that this will open our United States constitution up for anything and that’s not the case,”said Moore. “What has to happen is, for the petition to go to the fed government, it has to be 30 states that sign on to the exact same language on what will be determined or be a part of the agenda of a constitutional convention of states.

Moore said when there are 34 states passing the same resolution then that constitutional convention has to be called.

“And nothing is done without the approval of two-thirds of the states,” he said. “There could be 10, 15 different proposals on how to do term limits. The only way term limits would go in to effect constitutionally is if two-thirds of the states pass that or ratify that portion of it.”

Shipley said he’s starting to be supportive of the convention of states.

“It has these guardrails on it,” said Shipley. “But I’ve never seen an issue that divides very conservative Republicans as much as this has. There are people who are far more conservative that I am, who are very much in favor of it and there is a same group of people who are absolutely dead set against it. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Moore later specified he’s in favor of working toward fiscal responsibility when it comes to a federal balanced budget, but not term limits.

As for daylight saving, Moore said he said he likes the way things are now and said changes to daylight saving time would not change unless the federal government passed a change.

“It doesn’t affect me at all,” he said. “Some people say it does. We hear the horror stories of people who go through a two or three week depression period and they have to change their clock for an hour ... but the thing I like about it is, in the summer I like that extra hour or sunshine in the evening and in the winter i like that extra hour of sunshine in the morning so we can get our kids on buses in daylight instead of putting kids on buses in the dark.”

Shipley said he’s indifferent about daylight saving time, but whatever is done, everyone needs to be on the same page.

Moore recalled a time in his childhood when the city of Grinnell did a trial run of daylight saving changes. He said he’d leave the house at 9 a.m. and arrive to school at 8 a.m.

“It was crazy, but people adjusted to it,” he said.

As far as a House File 2119, a bill relating to the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs to patients within the state, and providing penalties, Moore said he’s in favor.

Moore said he’s in favor of the bill because federal laws allow women to access abortion drugs online, out of state and without medical consultation.

“The one bill stipulates there has to be some medical consultation before that takes place,” Moore said.

According to the bill, it prohibits a person from dispensing an abortion-inducing drug to a patient in this state for use by such patient in inducing a medication abortion unless the abortion-inducing drug is dispensed directly to such patient in a health care setting. A person who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly violates the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.

“You all know my position on abortion has always been and will always be a no. I believe in life at conception,” said Moore. “Medically induced abortions are very safe and very effective ... so it’s not limiting or restricting that. ... All we’re saying is, when you go to your doctor, your doctor has to inform you of the risk and the possibility of reversal if you want to.”

Creston Chamber Director Ellen Gerharz said this is the last year when Creston would only have two legislators visit. With redistricting changes, Union County will lose Moore, but will gain Rep. Ray Sorensen (R-Greenfield), Amy Sinclair and whoever will fill the shoes of Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (R-Mount Ayr), who is not running re-election. Shipley is up for re-election.