7/02/2006

Legislature to meet July 14 over eminent domain: Des Moines (IL) Register, 6/29/06

By Jonathan Roos

The Iowa Legislature will meet in special session on Friday, July 14, to deal with a bill vetoed by Gov. Tom Vilsack that would have restricted local governments’ power to seize property for business development.

The outcome of the special session announced today by legislative leaders remains unclear.

Republican leaders of the House and Senate want lawmakers to override Vilsack's veto of House File 2351. Senate Democratic leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs favors negotiations with the governor that would lead to passage of a new property protection bill.

Vilsack, a Democrat, said in vetoing the legislation June 2 that it did not contain the proper balance of protecting property rights and allowing economic development.

A veto override would require the approval of two-thirds of the House, or 67 members, and two-thirds of the Senate, or 34 members.

The Legislature decided to tackle the issue during the regular 2006 session because of 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.


Des Moines Register: http://desmoinesregister.com

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