The Bottom Line

by State Senator Mike Breitbach

Things were pretty slow in the Senate this week. The only committees still meeting are conference committees and Ways and Means.
Several bills were sent to conference committee. That happens when the House and the Senate cannot agree on all of the terms of the bill. There will be five senators and five representatives assigned to these committees. The committees will meet and see if they can find common ground.
If an agreement is made the bill comes back out to the House and the Senate. The bills can no longer be changed and the members of the chambers can only vote yes or no. I have been assigned to the conference committee on Transportation.
Next week it appears the majority party in the Senate will only have 25 members present. Any bill that is going to pass needs at least 26 votes and some of the remaining bills are only supported by the majority party. It appears we will not meet again until all Democrat members are able to return.        
My Senate email is michael.breitbach@legis.iowa.gov or you can call me at 563-920-7399.
Please listen to my interviews with Darin Svenson on KDEC radio (Decorah) at 7 a.m. every Thursday morning, or listen online at soundcloud.com/kdecnews.