A bill that boosts the penalty for interfering with law enforcement activities has cleared the Iowa House, over the objections of more than a dozen lawmakers. About three percent of Iowans are African Americans, but Democratic Representative Mary Wolfe of Clinton says last year in Iowa 27 percent of the people who were convicted of interferance with official acts were black. “Until somebody can tell me why it is that such an extremely disproportionate number of African Americans are convicted of interference with official acts, I am not comfortable voting yes for a bill that creates a new and much broader crime of interference with official acts,” Wolfe says.

The bill increases the penalty for someone who, for example, injures a police officer who’s making an arrest. Representative Rick Olson, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the bill goes another step too far. “The defendant doesn’t have to inflict the injury,” Olson said. “He doesn’t have to cause the injury. It’s just that the clumsy cop causes his own injury, but yet the penalty is enhanced.” Representative Deborah Berry, a Democrat from Waterloo, says if the bill becomes law, it will have a “tremendous impact” on Iowa’s minorities. “This particular bill — we’re going to see an additional burden on our state prisons by it,” Berry said.

Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, a Democrat from Des Moines, says “racism still does exist in the state of Iowa.” “It’s a ‘Catch 22’ for a lot of us. I know it is for me, because I support my law enforcement officers,” Abdul-Samad said. “I support the work that the police officers do…but I also have to look at the reality of Iowa.” Representative Gary Worthan, a Republican from Storm Lake, responded. “We can’t solve race problems by backing away from what we see as a crime.” Worthan says he’s not willing to abandon the bill because of a minority impact statement. “The law should be blind as to race, color, creed, religion and minority impact statements in my mind’s eye basically remove the blindfold from ‘Lady Justice,’ who holds the scales,” Worthan said. “…If it’s a crime, it’s a crime whether you’re white, black, red, yellow or whatever.”

The bill also adds removal of an officer’s communications device to the list of actions considered to be interference with official acts. Worthan says it applies to the communications devices used by police and by prison staff. “Members of law enforcement will tell you in this day and age, that communications device is their lifeline,” Worthan says. “Without that, they are out there on their own, with no back-up, so we need to move this forward.”

The bill passed the House Wednesday on a 77-to-17 vote. The bill passed the Senate April 1st by a unanimous vote. It now goes to the governor for his consideration.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston Construction Office reports bridge construction work on eastbound Interstate 80 between Antique Drive (exit 83), near Casey, and Iowa 25 (exit 86) will begin Monday, April 15th, weather permitting. During the project, traffic will be operating in a two-lane, two-way traffic pattern in the westbound lanes of I-80 in the work zone. The open lanes will have a 16-foot width lane restriction in place. This project is expected to be completed by late July.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

Gov. Branstad today (Wednesday) denied ten applications for commutation submitted by persons in the state’s prison system. Among the applications were those from 64-year old Darrell Bizzett, who committed his crime on September 1st, 1970, in western Iowa’s Woodbury County. He is currently serving a life sentence for Murder – 1st degree, and, 58-year old Kevin Johnson, who committed his crime on June 29th, 1980, in Pottawattamie County. He is currently serving a life sentence for Murder – 1st degree.

Branstad has commuted the life prison terms of only two inmates during his total of 18 years in office. Commutation is rare in Iowa, with governors reducing the legal penalty for only 39 people — 35 men and four women — in the last 44 years. Most of the commutations cut mandatory life sentences to fixed-length terms that can be reduced for good behavior. Lifers whose terms have been commuted since 1969 spent a median 22 years in prison and had a median age of 56 when paroled, according to information provided by the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Of the 39 prisoners who were freed by, four went back to prison for new criminal charges.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, approved the entering into of funding agreements with the Iowa Department of Transportation, for a Hot Melt Asphalt and Bridge Replacement project. County Assistant Engineer Rich Hansen said the bridge project pertains to the structure on the landfill road. He said an inspection last year revealed one of the outside beams had failed. The bridge is currently restricted to one-lane only, for legal loads. It cannot accommodate two-way traffic. The bridge is located on Jackson Road, just east of 648^th Street. The price tag for the project is $340,000, the Feds paying for 80-percent, and the county picking up the remaining 20-percent of the cost.

The other agreement pertains to an asphalt overlay on Cass County road M-56/570^th Street. He said the six-mile project spans from M-56 to the Atlantic Airport Road. Hansen said they hope to have a July bid-letting for the project, along with the project encompassing G-43 from Highway 71 to Highway 6. It’s hoped both projects can get underway this Summer.

The County receives $255,000 in allowable Federal funds under the Federal Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to help pay for the $1.3-million dollar project. The county picks up 20-percent of the total cost, with the remainder being paid for through Farm-to-Market Funds and State Improvement Funds.