DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers will convene Monday morning for the 2014 legislative assembly with modest expectations, given that it’s an election year and the schedule calls for a short session. Still, there are some policy proposals on the table, a budget must be approved and some political posturing is expected.

Here are five things to know about the session:

1. SHORT SESSION

The sessions that occur in even-numbered years are designed to be shorter and tend to deal more with budget basics and less with sweeping policy debates. This year there are just 100 days scheduled, compared with 110 days in odd-numbered years. And leaders have already moved up a number of procedural deadlines to help speed the process and perhaps conclude before April 22, when lawmakers stop receiving daily expense payments. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, of Council Bluffs, said the calendar is designed that way for a reason. “When they created that timeline, they always presumed that the election year would be shorter than the non-election year,” Gronstal said.

1. MODEST POLICY GOALS

Gov. Terry Branstad has laid out a series of small policy priorities that the legislative leaders seem inclined to support. They include an expansion of Internet access, a crackdown on school bullying, job training efforts and a program supporting veterans. More substantive work is not expected, especially given that the Legislature accomplished some big policy efforts last year, with agreements on a property tax cut, new education spending and low-income health care expansion. And some ongoing issues — such as the debate over increasing the state fuel tax to pay for road repairs — seem unlikely to advance. “The legislature has only so much energy and they exhausted a good share of it last year,” said Republican political consultant Doug Gross.

1. BUDGET TALK

Even in a speedy session, legislators still must approve a state budget. One key issue will be how to manage the state’s projected budget surplus of nearly $900 million. But while Democrats will likely seek some new spending and Republicans may float tax cuts, Branstad is cautioning that most of that funding is needed to pay for the tax cut and education spending approved last year. “We wanted to make sure it was sustainable for the whole five years,” Branstad said of those plans. “That’s the reason you cannot spend the ending balance.”

1. POLITICAL POSTURING

Despite those realities, lawmakers will likely raise some items more for political reasons than with any real legislative intent. All the House members and half the Senate are up for re-election. In addition, a number of members are seeking higher office, such as Sen. Jack Hatch, D-Des Moines, who is running for governor, or Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Red Oak, who is seeking the open U.S. Senate seat. That means they all want stuff to brag about out on the campaign trail. So Democrats running the state Senate are likely to talk about boosting the minimum wage, while Republicans ruling the House may pitch tax cuts. But neither issue is likely to advance.

1. CRYSTAL BALL

Amid the campaign talk is a lot of chatter about how these elections will impact the makeup of the legislature for 2015. Currently the Democrats hold a 26-24 majority in the Senate, while Republicans enjoy a 53-47 edge in the state House. Both parties are hoping to pick up seats in the 2014 elections as there will be some vacancies in both chambers. Should the Republicans take over the Senate and hold the House, the Legislature might pursue a far more conservative agenda in 2015, perhaps seeking further restrictions on abortion and a referendum on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Republicans have proposed such legislation in the past, but it has been stalled by Democrats in the Senate.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa may allow graduates of the state’s two law schools to start practicing law in the state without taking the bar exam. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa State Bar Association is considering the idea to help young lawyers get started quickly without accumulating more debt. Typically, graduates of the University of Iowa and Drake University’s law schools must wait 4½ months after graduation before learning whether they passed the bar exam. During that time, many student take out more loans for living expenses.

Drake law school dean Allan Vestal says that time is a waste for most students. The proposal would still require graduated to pass an ethics exam and background check. Graduates would also have to take a class on Iowa laws and court procedure.

An altercation in Corning early this (Sunday) morning, resulted in the arrest of a man and woman on assault charges. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 34-year old Rebecca Simmer and her boyfriend, 41-year old Aaron Gray, both of Corning, were charged with Domestic Assault. The couple was brought to the Adams County Jail and held without bond until making their initial appearance in front of the magistrate.

Officials say Aaron Gray reported the incident between himself and his girlfriend. An investigation determined they had allegedly struck each other, causing minor injuries to both individuals.