Concerned by the ever-growing number of people injured and sometimes killed in collisions involving distracted drivers, state Rep. Ann Meyer has repeatedly tried to make it illegal for people to use their phones while driving unless they are in a hands-free mode.

The Republican from Fort Dodge just might achieve her goal this year, even if the legislation she has introduced multiple years in a row will not be the bill that gets it done.

She told the audience at an Eggs and Issues forum Saturday morning that the state Senate has passed a version of the hands-free legislation and sent it to the House, where it will be considered this week.

“I am very optimistic,” she said.

Meyer said she has talked to many members of the House and based on those talks she believes there are enough votes to pass it.

“I just have to convince our leaders to bring it to the floor,” she said.

Also during Saturday’s forum, state Sen. Jesse Green, R-Boone, indicated that he is skeptical about the chances for the Senate to pass eminent domain reforms this year. Eminent domain is a hot issue in rural areas, where companies seeking to build carbon dioxide pipelines may get that power to acquire land from people who are unwilling to sell it.

“I think the majority of the Senate desires to provide some clarity on the code,” he said.

However, he said when the topic comes up, a person will get 10 different answers from 10 different senators. That, he said, is why he has some doubt that the Senate will pass anything this year.

Also during the forum, state Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, discussed potential changes to the Iowa Grain Indemnity fund that would impact farmers, especially corn growers.

Green, Meyer and Sexton were joined by state Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, at the forum, held in the Triton Cafe at Iowa Central Community College. About 65 people attended.

Eggs and Issues is sponsored by the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance and the college.

Distracted driving

It is already illegal to text while driving in Iowa. But other use of cell phones or electronic devices while driving is not illegal.

Meyer has heard many reports of crashes and near misses caused by people using their phones when driving.

“This has become worse than drunk driving,” she said.

She said combating the problem has become the No. 1 traffic safety priority of law enforcement officers across the state.

During the forum, Meyer recounted an incident in which a driver looked at his phone and while doing so, struck and killed a pedestrian. Criminal charges were filed, she said, but the judge stated that it is not against the law to look at your phone while driving.

“To me, that is the judiciary telling us, “You need to give us better tools,”’ she said.

Her bill would make it illegal to use any electronic device while driving unless it is in hands-free mode. It includes a $100 fine for violations.

This year, it was assigned to the House Public Safety Committee, where it died.

However, the Senate passed its version of the bill last Wednesday and sent it to the House. It was assigned to the House Transportation Committee. That committee will begin reviewing it on Tuesday.

Grain Indemnity Fund

The status of a fund that is vital to farmers, but little known to many other Iowans is the source of a big fight in the Capitol, according to Sexton.

The Grain Indemnity Fund is intended to hold farmers harmless if the merchandiser or elevator that they sell grain to goes broke, he said. Farmers pay a quarter-cent per bushel of grain to support the fund, but only when there is a certain amount of money in the fund.

Sexton said no one has had to pay into the fund in 27 years.

Recently, three grain merchandisers went broke. As it stands now there is not enough money in the fund to pay all the affected farmers what they are owed, according to Sexton.

The per bushel tax is set to go into effect again on July 1. However, Sexton said the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship wants to delay that until the fall.

Now a state senator has introduced a bill to take money from the Iowa Corn Growers Fund, which pays for research and marketing of Iowa corn, and put that money into the Grain Indemnity Fund. That is not a popular idea with the state’s corn growers.

“We’ve got a huge fight going on,” Sexton said.

He said what legislators really need to be doing is addressing the Grain Indemnity Fund..