Edler

This week marked the end of the second major legislative deadline, known as the second funnel. The week was very busy as legislators from both chambers frequented each other to discuss their priorities for the session. While only a limited number of bills will ultimately become law, much effort goes into the process to achieve the final goal.

Several topics have come across our desks this week. We’ve been hearing a lot about Second Amendment legislation, education bills dealing with curriculum taught in schools, nursing and workforce issues and many more. Two issues that come up consistently when talking with Iowans are public safety and mental health. The Judiciary Committee discussed a few bills this week aimed at helping Iowans, supporting Second Amendment rights and dealing with the fentanyl disaster that continues to consume our country and our state.

House File 2576 creates a first-degree murder charge for delivery of fentanyl to another person if that delivery results in the death of the other person. We have taken several measures recently to try to address the rise in fentanyl deaths happening in our state. The failure of our federal government to uphold immigration laws has widened the crisis that has devastated families all over the state. House File 2576 is one more step we can take to try to curb the devastation.

House File 2421 is a bill aimed at protecting Iowans from harming themselves or others. HF 2421 allows a federal firearms license holder to take possession of an owner’s lawfully possessed firearm at the owner’s request. This bill provides an avenue outside of the home to store the firearm out of harms way, for an agreed upon period of time and then returning it according to the terms of the agreement. It also provides liability protection to federal firearms license holders when they are trying to prevent suicides.

As we continue to move toward the conclusion of the 90th General Assembly, feel free to continue reaching out with your questions and concerns.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at jeff.edler@legis.iowa.gov.

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Jeff Edler, a Republican from State Center, represents District 26 in the Iowa Senate.