Day 7

0800 - 1645

Various free things: ABATE of Iowa (a motorcyclist group) offered a breakfast this morning. Excellent stuff - apparently they had to get on a bus and leave Sioux City at 2:45 AM to get set up in time. As well as being the first day of spring, it was also Iowa Agriculture Day, and we were in full swing at the Capitol. The two Ag groups of the previous day returned, as well as turkey, pork, dairy, biodiesel, and poultry groups. There was enough free turkey salad, cheese, orange juice, eggs, cookies (with cranberries), and smokies to make a meal of it ... which I did. In addition to lunch, IAHPERD -- some sort of recreation organization -- popped in during the day. The CASA/ICADV, a coalition of groups opposed to sexual abuse and domestic violence, suddenly showed up wearing these bright red shirts, and they were furiously sending in messages attached to these folders of information. They would send in two or three at a time, which kept us popping up to place them on desks.

Once again, nothing revolutionary happened today. It's almost like there is the gigantic cloud of "right-to-work" hanging over all the bills we discuss. Since the House is only working on House bills this week, much of what we are discussing is old business that got set aside. Nothing controversial. A "energy city designation program" met some opposition that it limited benefits to rural areas, but that was only enough to grant it two 'no' votes. A beer keg registration bill passed with flying colors, although there was interesting discussion. One of the representatives hypothesized about his keg "showing up at a church social." A clerk joked, "He must be Catholic." It was pretty bizarre.

We went home on time. Thank goodness.