From the "dodged a bullet" files

Iowa parents who receive child support on behalf of their kids would be required to submit to drug tests as frequently as every six months under a controversial amendment to a budget bill that was laughed at and ultimately withdrawn today in the Senate.

The proposal came from Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa who said he was pushing the idea on behalf of an unidentified constituent who believed his ex was using child support money for illegal drugs.

A person paying child support under Chelgren’s proposal could require the recipient to a drug test every six months as long as they pay the costs.
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Sen. Jack Hatch, who is leading discussion on the state’s health and human services budget bill, told the Senate that he believes the proposal is anti-woman and could unfairly be used by vindictive spouses. He further expressed concerns that the proposal would clog the court system.

Chelgren rejected that argument but ultimately withdrew his amendment.

“We shouldn’t be ducking our head and running away every time there’s a difficult issue coming up,” Chelgren said.

Democrats said the measures were a “war on women” and antagonistic toward working families and the poor.

One of the most pointed moments came after Sen. Jack Hatch noted that one amendment if passed would prohibit state money being used in abortions even in cases of rape or when a mother’s life is in danger. That would cause the state to lose $1.5 billion in federal money, largely for Medicaid services, he said.

Sen. Kent Sorenson, R-Indianola, then asked: “Sen. Hatch, I’m just curious: How many babies are you willing to slaughter, dismember and throw in a garbage can for a billion dollars?”

Democrats throughout the chamber responded with screams of “point of order!” Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, called it a ridiculous question.

Sorenson replied, as the chamber erupted with another round of shouting by Democrats, “Mr. President, I think it’s ridiculous that we can’t save unborn babies for a billion dollars.”