Same Day Voter Registration

From Sen. Joe Bolkcom's Networker

On Tuesday, the Senate passed same day voter registration (HF 653) on a vote of 30-20 with all Republicans voting NO.

The law is modeled after a similar law in Minnesota, which has allowed Election Day voter registration for the last 33 years. In addition to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Montana and Maine have Election Day registration. These states have found voter fraud to be virtually non-existent, and voter turnout averages 10 percent higher than other states.

This change will make it easier for Iowans to participate in elections. I voted for this bill. The bill now goes to the Governor where he is expected to sign it.

You can watch the bill’s floor manager, Senator Staci Appel of Indianola, give her opening address at Senator Appel's video statement.

One For the Little Guy

Thanks largely to the ongoing efforts of State Attorney General Tom Miller and State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, Gov. Chet Culver signed limits on Iowa’s car title loan industry into law Tuesday, curbing a practice Democrats have described as predatory lending. See Video.

"For far too long, car-title lenders have preyed upon the most vulnerable Iowans," Culver said at a bill signing flanked by supporters of car title loan limits.

The industry has sprouted up in Iowa in recent years along with payday lenders, who offer short-term loans at higher interest rates than typical loans.

Culver said the bill he signed closes an unintended loophole in Iowa law that allowed car-title lenders to charge unreasonable interest rates that could in some cases climb to 300 percent.

The bill limits car title loan interest rates to 21 percent, the same as other consumer loans.

Gark comment--Here's sympathy for ya...

Rep. Jamie Van Fossen, R-Davenport, reluctantly voted for the bill, and said he now wonders where some Iowans will get loans."I’m afraid there will be some consumers in our state who had to go to these places that won’t have the ability to borrow money anywhere else now," Van Fossen said.

Apparent the Rep. mistakes usury with compassionate conservatism.