The Administrative Rules Review Committee (ARRC) met this morning. Legislators in attendance included Sens. Wally Horn, James Seymour, Thomas Courtney, Merlin Bartz and Jack Kibbie and Reps. Dawn Pettengill, Dave Heaton, Rick Olson, Guy Vander Linden and Jo Oldson. Willie Suchy, of Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Unit, and Greg Drees, Natural Resource Commission (NRC) chair, presented information to the legislators about the rule and public comment. Drees mentioned that one of the NRC members (Conrad Clement) had talked to Gov. Branstad a couple of hours before the meeting and discussed the amendment he planned to propose requiring alternative ammunition. Clement said Branstad told him if there was consensus among the commissioners, he would support it. In a complete about face, Brenna Findley, the Governor’s staff assigned to the committee, stated that “The Governor’s position is and always has been that the decision belongs to the legislature.” After an hour and 45 minutes of discussion and public comments, the ARRC voted to approve the dove hunting rule BUT put a session delay on the non-toxic shot prohibition. All ARRC members except Oldson voted for the session delay. This means the Legislature could take up the prohibition on toxic shot for doves – or other hunting of species – or if it does nothing by the last day of next year’s session, it becomes effective. The problem legislators had was not necessarily with the rule but the process in which the lead-shot ban occurred. The Notice of Intended Action (NOIA) posted by the DNR did not include the ban on lead shot. However, in response to all of the comments received during public comment in opposition to the dove hunting bill and in support of requiring alternative ammunition, the NRC inserted the lead-shot ban into the rule. Legislators thought the ammunition piece of the rule should have required its own NOIA and gone through the process because there was no opportunity for public comment on the ammunition issue. Rep. Oldson disagreed. She said there was precedent for the NRC responding the way it did and she did not support the session delay. Several legislators who are not ARRC members provided public comment. Sen. Dick Dearden, Rep. Clel Baudler and Rep. Henry Rayhons all spoke in opposition to the lead-shot ban. Their comments primarily focused on a lack of science that lead makes other animals sick and that the dove hunting issue is “emotional” and the rule is simply “anti-hunting.” However, Rep. Sharon Steckman spoke in support of it. She reminded the other legislators that the House originally was debating a raccoon hunting bill when it morphed into a dove hunting bill. The rule becomes effective tomorrow (August 17). The season opens September 1 and ends Nov. 9. The final rule allows the harvest of 15 doves a day, the possession limit is 30 and the season is open state-wide. Any type of weapon can be used. Neila Seaman Director Iowa Chapter of Sierra Club 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280 Des Moines, IA 50310 515-277-8868 iowa.sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp