Forwarded from LaVon Griffieon, Ankeny farmer

Iowa House Bill HF202 to stop any local government from banning GE crops

Representative Sandy Greiner, (R) (Jefferson, Johnson and Washington
Counties) is introducing legislation in Iowa to stop any local government
from banning GE crops.  Rep. Greiner is a member of the Ag Committee and the
Chair of the House Environmental Protection Committee.

The House Ag Committee will take up HF 202 at 1:00 p.m. TODAY, February 22
in Room 305 at the State Capitol.  Citizens need to prepare to weigh in on
this important matter.    This subject is OFF the radar screen at this time.
Please send this information on to others across Iowa and contact Senators &
Representatives serving on the Ag Committees.

Today, in the Iowa Code, no mention or definition of GE or GMO exists.  This
could be the bill to bring that conversation to fruition.  It is imperative
that members of the Ag Committees get your opinions on this subject.  You
can be a citizen lobbyist.  Both bills are pasted below.  Apologies for the
length.  Other legislative info (including the committee members and e-mails
which are alo attached) can be found at:  http://www.legis.state.ia.us/

Thanks for letting your opinions be known to our state's leaders,  (House
Bill Pasted Below)

These are the House Agriculture committee members and their e-mail.

Jack Drake (R, District 57), Chair
Drake Jack [log in to unmask]
David Lalk (R, District 18), Vice Chair
Lalk David [log in to unmask]
Dolores Mertz (D, District 8), Ranking Member
Mertz Dolores [log in to unmask]
Alons Dwayne [log in to unmask]
Baudler Clel [log in to unmask]
Davitt Mark  [log in to unmask]
DeBoef Betty [log in to unmask]
Dolecheck Cecil [log in to unmask]
Frevert Marcella [log in to unmask]
Greiner Sandy [log in to unmask]
Huseman Dan [log in to unmask]
Kaufmann Jeff [log in to unmask]
Kuhn Mark [log in to unmask]
Miller Helen [log in to unmask]
Olson Steven [log in to unmask]
Rayhons Henry [log in to unmask]
Struyk Doug [log in to unmask]
Swaim Kurt [log in to unmask]
Thomas Roger [log in to unmask]
Whitaker John [log in to unmask]
Zirkelbach Ray [log in to unmask]

House File 202
                                       HOUSE FILE
                                       BY  GREINER
                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the regulation of agricultural seed, by
  2    providing for preemption of local legislation.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1996HH 81
  5 da/pj/5

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  Section 199.1, Code 2005, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsections:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  11A.  a.  "Local governmental entity"
  1  4 means any political subdivision, or any state authority which
  1  5 is not any of the following:
  1  6    (1)  The general assembly.
  1  7    (2)  A principal central department as enumerated in
  1  8 section 7E.5, or a unit of a principal central department.
  1  9    b.  "Local governmental entity" includes but is not limited
  1 10 to a county, special district, township, or city as provided
  1 11 in title IX of this Code.
  1 12    NEW SUBSECTION.  11B.  "Local legislation" means any
  1 13 ordinance, motion, resolution, amendment, regulation, or rule
  1 14 adopted by a local governmental entity.
  1 15    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  199.13A  LOCAL LEGISLATION ==
  1 16 PROHIBITION.
  1 17    1.  The provisions of this chapter and rules adopted by the
  1 18 department pursuant to this chapter shall preempt local
  1 19 legislation adopted by a local governmental entity relating to
  1 20 the production, use, advertising, sale, distribution, storage,
  1 21 transportation, formulation, packaging, labeling,
  1 22 certification, or registration of an agricultural seed.  A
  1 23 local governmental entity shall not adopt or continue in
  1 24 effect such local legislation regardless of whether a statute
  1 25 or a rule adopted by the department specifically preempts the
  1 26 local legislation.  Local legislation in violation of this
  1 27 section is void and unenforceable.
  1 28    2.  This section does not apply to local legislation of
  1 29 general applicability to commercial activity.
  1 30                           EXPLANATION
  1 31    This bill amends provisions in Code chapter 199 regulating
  1 32 the sale of agricultural seed.  This includes grass, forage,
  1 33 cereal, oil, fiber, and any other kind of crop seed.  It
  1 34 includes those seeds commonly recognized as crop seed, lawn
  1 35 seed, or vegetable seed.  Code chapter 199 is regulated by the
  2  1 department of agriculture and land stewardship.
  2  2    The bill preempts a local governmental entity, including a
  2  3 county, special district, township, or city, from adopting or
  2  4 enforcing legislation which relates to the production, use,
  2  5 advertising, sale, distribution, storage, transportation,
  2  6 formulation, packaging, labeling, certification, or
  2  7 registration of agricultural seed.  The local legislation is
  2  8 void and unenforceable.
  2  9    The bill includes a provision which allows a local
  2 10 governmental entity to adopt legislation which regulates
  2 11 commercial activities generally without targeting a specific
  2 12 industry.
  2 13 LSB 1996HH 81
  2 14 da:nh/pj/5.1

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