House ready to override eminent domain bill veto: Des Moines (IA) Register, 6/22/06

The Senate's Democratic leader, however, says there is no consensus on action
By Jonathan Roos
Republican and Democratic legislative leaders continued their jockeying Wednesday over vetoed property rights legislation.

House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Sioux City Republican, sent Secretary of State Chet Culver a letter declaring that the House is ready to return for a special session to override Gov. Tom Vilsack's veto. Rants asked that House File 2351 be returned to the chamber by Friday.

Senate Democratic leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs said there is still no consensus on what to do about the veto of the eminent domain legislation. He continues to favor negotiations with the governor that would lead to passage of a new property protection bill in a special session.

Republicans and Democrats share power in the Senate because of a 25-25 tie.

The bill passed by the Legislature in early May would have restricted local governments' power to confiscate property for business development. Vilsack, a Democrat, said in vetoing the legislation that it did not contain the proper balance of protecting property rights and allowing economic development.

The issue was raised by a June 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the use of eminent domain in the development of a Connecticut project that included offices, a riverfront hotel and health club.

Culver is the Democratic candidate for governor.

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Des Moines Register: http://desmoinesregister.com