DES MOINES, Iowa — Friday marked the end of "Funnel Week" at the Iowa State Capitol, the time when proposed bills live or die.
Those that survived have moved out of various committees in both legislative chambers and now move closer to becoming law.
On the Senate side, 23 bills were up for discussion this week.
The topic of Area Education Agencies, or AEAs, has been heavily discussed at the statehouse in recent weeks. AEAs provide special education services for students.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has worked to overhaul the state’s AEAs, but that decision has been met with widespread opposition. An amended version of her proposed legislation did pass out of the Senate Education Committee earlier this month.
House Republicans went a different direction, proposing their own version of the AEA reform bill. The legislation was heard in subcommittee on Thursday, and will compete with Senate Study Bill 3073.
A bill backed by GOP lawmakers to allow school staff to be armed, House Study Bill 675, is also still alive.
If signed into law, staff members who want to arm themselves will receive a special permit to carry firearms on campus, if their school district approves it. Yearly background checks and gun safety training will be required.
A separate committee in the Iowa House passed a bill that would no longer require boards and commissions at both the state and local government levels to be gender balanced. Similar legislation on the Senate side is also still alive.
There are a few other bills that survived "funnel week" to keep an eye on.
- Senate Study Bill 3016 prohibits drivers from holding their phones while driving. This means hands-free devices only. the bill also bans the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras by local and state police.
- House Study Bill 665 sets a potency level for hemp products and places tighter restrictions on those items.
- House File 2031 requires students to watch a video in health classes on the stages of pregnancy.