Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds got one of her wishes from her Condition of the State message, when she said she would soon be signing her first bill as governor, a water quality bill.
The Iowa House sent the Governor a $282 million dollar water quality bill as their first action of the new session. To do that, the House reversed course from last year and gave up on their own water quality legislation, opting instead for what many called a watered down water quality bill passed by the Iowa Senate.
"Just because the words water quality are in a bill doesn't make me proud, so I can go put it on a postcard when I go to campaign." Said Boone Republican Chip Baltimore, the original author of the House version. It was his first speech before the House since his OWI arrest last week. He said he learned a few things about integrity in the last few days.
Baltimore said pressure from leaders and some groups on the water quality issue lacked integrity and leadership. Republican leaders pledged they'll work to expand on the basics the Senate water quality bill establishes.