'Sunshine' laws update put on hold from the Gazette
The sun will come out tomorrow … or next year, legislative advocates of upgrading Iowa's ``sunshine'' laws promised Tuesday.``Our commitment is as firm as ever,'' Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque, said about efforts to update the open meetings and public records laws.
Although the commitment is there, Connolly said lawmakers looking at the open meetings law that took effect in 1979 and the open records law enacted in 1986 are finding it to be more time-consuming than expected.``We're overwhelmed with pushing bills through the process. This is bigger than any of us thought,'' he said.Friday marks the first ``funnel'' deadline for the 82nd General Assembly -- a requirement that non-money bills clear at least one committee in the House or Senate to remain eligible for action this year.
Connolly and Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, plan to ask that an interim committee be appointed to look at proposed changes and make recommendations for action in the second year of the 2007-08 General Assembly.``We're going to take out time and do it right,'' Connolly said.
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