‘Public Safety’ Archives

Legislation to protect pets and pet owners moves forward

Key legislators in the Iowa House and Senate today released legislation designed to better protect pets and pet owners from irresponsible pet breeders. A key provision will increase the number of state inspectors to respond to animal health and safety complaints involving USDA licensed facilities.

“This bill is compromise, but it is a good one,” said Lykam. “I’m hopeful that the 2010 session will mark the end of Iowa’s reputation for lax enforcement of pet breeding operations. We are on track to crack down on the bad actors in this industry and protect responsible breeders by making consumers can be confident that all companion animals raised in Iowa are healthy and safe.”

“The head of USDA’s inspectors told me last week that he didn’t have enough inspectors to get the job done,” said Senator Matt McCoy of Des Moines. “We will solve that problem by modestly and responsibly raising fees on pet breeders-currently just $20 a year-to fund state inspectors from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. They will respond to complaints of animal mistreatment. If complaints are confirmed, the state can impose fines, require continuing education and, in the worse cases, remove animals from a facility.”

“Iowa currently just isn’t doing enough to protect the more than 20,000 dogs in Iowa’s breeding operations,” said Senator Joe Seng, a Davenport veterinarian who also co-chaired legislative interim committee on the issue. “When your state is home to the third largest dog breeding industry in the nation, you have a responsibility to ensure basic health and safety standards.”

The legislation, House Study Bill 604, appears set to move forward quickly. A House subcommittee on the bill was scheduled for Monday afternoon and it could clear a House committee on Tuesday. Many of Iowa’s neighboring states already provide state inspection of USDA licensed breeders, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.

Seng and Representative Jim Lykam of Davenport chaired a 10-member interim study committee of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. The committee unanimously recommended that state inspectors to begin inspecting federally licensed dog breeders in response to complaints.
The legislation will:
• Empower state agriculture inspectors to investigate complaints at Iowa’s federally licensed facilities.
• Increase penalties for unlicensed facilities and violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act
• Require continuing education for breeders with violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
• Require veterinarians to become mandatory reporters of animal abuse and neglect.
• Increase enforcement of uncollected sales tax on the sale of dogs and cats.
-end-

Tags: 2010 session, pets and pet owners
Category 2010 Session Information, Bill Summary, Featured, Public Safety |

Gov. Culver issues emergency proclamation for Carroll, Cass and Sac counties

Governor Culver issued an emergency proclamation for Carroll, Cass and Sac counties yesterday, January 21, 2010.  The proclamation allows state resources to be used in response to the ice storm that hit the area earlier this week. 

“The severe winter weather that hit our state this week has left many Iowans without power,” said Governor Culver.  “As Governor, I am committed to doing whatever we can to help get the power back on and help those affected.  While the storm may have moved on, the threat of power outages and downed power lines remains, and I urge Iowans to use caution.” 

The proclamation also allows the state to provide generators to Carroll, Lake View, Early and Dedham.  Cots and blankets will be provided to those affected in Lake View and Early and assistance through the Department of Corrections will be provided to Atlantic.

Tags: emergency proclamation, governor culver, ice, snow, weather
Category Events, Featured, Public Safety |

Chief Justice Delivers Condition of the Judiciary

Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court Marsha Ternus delivered the 2010 condition of the judiciary address in the house chambers on January 13th.

Click here to listen to the address.

Click here to view full text of the address.

Tags: Condition of Judiciary, Iowa Supreme Court, Marsha Ternus
Category Public Safety |

Iowa Shows Decrease in Junenile Detention Rates

There were new promising results announced from efforts to decrease Iowa’s rates of youth detention, especially for minority youth who are overrepresented in the state’s juvenile justice system.

Statewide, Iowa has decreased its overall detention of juveniles by about 15%, especially for low-level juvenile offenders, in each of the last two years, without any impact on public safety. In Black Hawk County, detention rates of minority youth declined by more than 20% for calendar year 2008. In Polk County, minority detention declined by 23.2%, and in Woodbury County minority detention was cut by 5.2%.

Executive Order 5, signed on Oct. 30, 2007, established the Governor’s Youth, Race and Detention Task Force, administered by the Criminal Juvenile and Justice Planning Division of the Iowa Department of Human Rights.

Representative Wayne Ford of Des Moines, a key member of getting this important legislation passed, congratulated the Youth, Race and Detention Task Force on their promising initial results. “ I respect the efforts in appointing this group to look at an issue we have been facing for too long, especially toward youth and minorities,” he added.

Category Education, Public Safety |

New Laws Start Wednesday

Several new laws will hit the books on July 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year. Several changes were made during the 2009 legislative session that will impact Iowans, including new restrictions on sex offenders, foreclosure protection, and better health care.

Here are a few of the highlights:

• Foreclosure Protection - Iowans will benefit from expanded services when facing foreclosure, more accurate information from mortgage brokers or bankers, and active duty reservists and national guard members will have new protections from foreclosure while serving (House File 706, Senate File 355, and Senate File 364)

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Tags: Health Care, iowa fiscal year, iowa laws, New Laws, Public Safety, state of iowa
Category Education, Environment, Health Care, Jobs & Economy, Public Safety |