Bills that Survived Funnel Week

The Des Moines Register has a list of bills that survived funnel week. Here they are...

Here are some of the bills that skated through this week just before today's so-called funnel deadline:

DROPOUT AGE: Students would have to attend school until at least age 17 under House File 2144.

COLD MEDICINE TRACKING: A statewide instant verification system would track the sales of certain cold medicines in order to avoid a new spike in methamphetamine abuse under House File 852.

NICKEL DEPOSIT ON BOTTLES: Consumers would pay a nickel deposit for water, juice, tea and sport drinks under House Study Bill 734. The deposit is already charged in Iowa on soft drinks and beer cans.

IMMIGRATION:All workers in Iowa would have to obtain a state-issued identification card to be employed under House Study Bill 717. The idea is to help curb illegal immigration.

ETHANOL PUMPS: A state grant program would help pay for pumps that blend ethanol so consumers can choose how much ethanol they want, between E10 and E85. Senate Study Bill 3198 would also boost incentives to retailers for increased biodiesel sales.

STUDENTS IN SPORTS: House File 2131 would shift control of sports eligibility rules to the State Board of Education. If the board gains power, it is expected to make high school students who open enroll into new districts wait a full year instead of 90 days before playing varsity sports.

PENSIONS: The state won't put as much money into pensions as public employees are asking for, and judges would have to contribute more of their salary to the pension fund under Senate Study Bill 3244.

PROMOTING ATTRACTIONS: A total of $1 million would be used to market projects receiving money from the community attraction and tourism grant under House File 871.

HEALTH INSURANCE: Senate Study Bill 3140 would require that nearly all families have health insurance for their children by 2011. The House version, House Study Bill 757, would expand coverage to needy families but not require insurance for all children.

HEALTH WORKERS: People who go into health care professions that are underserved in Iowa, such as psychiatry and nursing, could get forgivable college loans under Senate Study Bill 3186.

GIFT CARDS: To make sure consumers can redeem the full value of the gift certificates they purchase, Senate File 2091 would prohibit sellers from issuing gift cards with expiration dates and ban them from charging fees.

ROAD REPAIRS: Registration fees for vehicles may go up to raise money for road construction and repair projects. House Study Bill 628 and Senate Study Bill 3267 raise various vehicle-related fees.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Sets a goal for Iowa utilities to have 25 percent of the electricity they produce come from renewable sources by 2025. House Study Bill 742 also sets an efficiency standard for a 1.5 percent annual reduction in energy use to all gas and electric utilities in the state.

FOREIGN-MADE FLAGS: It would be illegal to sell foreign-made U.S. or Iowa flags under House File 2191.

COMMISSION FOR BOOMERS: People nearing retirement age would be the focus of a Baby Boomer Generation Commission aimed as an economic and work force development tool for the state under House File 2038.

COLLEGE MONEY FOR VETERANS: Veterans would be able to get a $750 one-time grant to help pay for undergraduate college studies. The grant in Senate File 2253 would be only for those who have exhausted their federal education benefits.

MILITARY TAX BREAK: Many veterans would be able to avoid paying income tax on up to $20,000 of retirement pay received for their military service under House File 133.

COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: High school seniors would have a new program to help them take college or advanced placement courses under House Study Bill 649.

SALARIES FOR NONPROFITS: Nonprofit groups would have to report compensation of some executives in various reports submitted to the Iowa secretary of state under House Study Bill 765.

INSURANCE ADVOCATE: An insurance consumer advocate office would be created in the state's insurance division by House Study Bill 737. Lawmakers may change the location to the attorney general's office.

CORPORATE TAXES: Although some Democratic leaders had called the combined-reporting idea dead, there's now renewed interest in the proposal, which would tax out-of-state corporations on their Iowa operations.

PROTECTING MONEY FOR PARKS: A proposed constitutional amendment would state that money intended for natural resources projects could not be spent on other projects. Senate Study Bill 3250 would create a new natural resources and outdoor recreation trust fund for enhancing parks, trails, fish and wildlife habitat and conserving agricultural soil in the state.