2006 Legistative session wrap-up

Because of our organizing - including holding two lobby days, monitoring good and bad bills, and sending emails and making phone calls to legislators at key times during the session - we defeated four bad bills.

All pushed by the corporate factory farm lobby, these bills threatened to diminish the rights of citizens, worsen our air and water quality and shield factory farms from current state laws. CCI members led the charge to help defeat these four pieces of legislation:

• House File 701 - The “Chronic Complainer” bill - designed to silence people who speak out about environmental problems caused by factory farms.
  
  
• House File 2744 and companion bill Senate File 2294 - designed to give factory farms immunity from state laws in certain cases.
  
  
• Senate File 2377 – would gut the DNR’s ability to deny factory farm construction permits. Read more about the defeat of Senate File 2377:
  
  
• House File 2076 - would take awy property owners' rights while making it easier for factory farms to build or expand.

“These bills are a distraction from the real issues that Iowans care about – local control and protecting our environment,” said CCI member Vern Tigges.

And, thanks in part to the tireless efforts of Madison County CCI members, legislators voted to strenghten Iowa's eminent domain law as it relates to the development of recreational lakes.

Mark your calendars! We will be back at the Capitol on January 9, 2007 for a Rally & Lobby Day to kick off the next legislative session. Local control and strong environmental standards for factory farms will be at the top of our 2007 legislative agenda.

For more information, contact CCI at 515-282-0484 or iowacci@iowacci.org.

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Contact your state legislators today and tell them to act in the interest of their constituents, not special interest groups!

Find your legislator at:

• Call your Senator at 515-281-3371

• Call your Representative at 515-281-3221

• Email them at: firstname.lastname@legis.state.ia.us

• Mail them a letter at: State Capitol, Des Moines, IA 50319

• To find out whom your representatives are:
                    http://www4.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/
                    or call Iowa CCI at 515-282-0484.

Click here to read Iowa CCI’s full 2006 legislative agenda.

Updated 6/5/2006

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