Feb. 1 - CCI Action Citizen Lobby Team Reportback
They have corporate lobbyists, we have you.
On Wednesday, February 1, 15 CCI Action Citizen Lobbyists went up to the capitol to lobby three House Committees to stop three bad bills that attack our environment, communities of color, and our voting rights. We had 16 face-to-face conversations with members of these committees.
We lobbied the:
- House Natural Resources Committee to vote no on bad clean water bill, HF100, that would allow Iowa to eliminate and refuse to enforce EPA federal regulations or abide by them.
- House Judiciary Committee to vote no on "Stand Your Ground," SF25/SF70, a racially-bias, gun lobby bill deemed a “Shoot First, Ask Questions Later” proposal.
- House State Government Committee to vote no on a voter suppression bill, HF150, that would remove same-day voter registration.
Here’s how the conversations went:
| House Natural Resources Committee | Does HF 100 have any traction? | What factory farm deregulation bills do you think we'll see this year? | Will you vote against any voter suppression bill, including HF 150? | Notes |
| Rob Bacon (R, District 48), Chair, Boone, Hamilton, Story, & Webster Counties | No, unless pressured | Said he's not in favor of same-day voter registration but listened to our arguments | (Also on House State Government Committee) | |
| Dean Fisher (R, District 72), Vice Chair, Black Hawk, Marshall, & Tama Counties | No | Wouldn't answer | Walked away before we could ask | Said he doesn't like Waters of the US rule and disputed the number of impaired waterways. |
| Terry C. Baxter (R, District 8), Hancock, Kossuth, & Wright Counties | Said HF100 is just a discussion point | One of the bill sponsors of HF100 | ||
| Bruce Bearinger (D, District 64), Buchanan & Fayette Counties | Said HF100 is ridiculous. He won't support it. | Said he doesn't know what to expect but factory farm deregulation bills are coming. | Does not support HF150. | Wants to hear from more Fayette & Buchanan CCI Action members. |
| Phyllis Thede (D, District 93), Scott County | She will fight this bill | Said she doesn't know what to expect but they're coming | Does not support any form of voter suppression. |
| House Judiciary Committee | Will you work to stop any "Stand Your Ground" wording from being part of the all-encompassing gun bill? | Will you vote against any voter suppression bill, including HF 150? | Notes |
| Chip Baltimore (R, District 47), Chair, Boone & Greene Counties | Said he's still analyzing the bill | Said he's still analyzing the bill | (also on State Government Committee) |
| Liz Bennett (D, District 65), Linn County | Yes | Yes | |
| Stan Gustafson (R, District 25), Madison & Warren Counties | Yes, "at this point" | will consider | He's a veteran and seemed sympathetic to not support Stand Your Ground because he sees too many ramifications of too many people with guns |
| Lee Hein (R, District 96), Delaware & Jones Counties | No | No | No compromise, stands strong on supporting "Stand Your Ground". (also on State Government Committee) |
| Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D, District 45), Story County | Will be against bill | Will be against bill | Wants to hear from progressive people on all issues. |
| House State Government Committee | Will you vote against any voter suppression bill, including HF 150? | Notes |
| Ken Rizer (R, District 68), Chair, Linn County | Said he's for same-day voter registration but would not commit to stopping the bill from coming up in committee | |
| Rob Bacon (R, District 48), Boone, Hamilton, Story, & Webster Counties | Said he's not in favor of same-day voter registration but listened to our arguments | |
| Chip Baltimore (R, District 47), Boone & Greene Counties | Said he's still analyzing the bill | |
| Lee Hein (R, District 96), Deleware & Jones Counties | No | |
| Bruce L. Hunter (D, District 34), Polk | Yes | Was a sponsor of the bill that legalized same-day voter registration in 2007 |
| Tom Moore (R, District 21), Adams, Cass, Pottawattamie, & Union Counties | No | |
| Amy Nielsen (D, District 77), Johnson County | Yes | |
| Todd E. Taylor (D, District 70), Linn County | Yes, definitely |
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