Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jan 2005
Source: Des Moines Register (IA)
Copyright: 2005 The Des Moines Register.
Contact: http://DesMoinesRegister.com/help/letter.html
Website: http://desmoinesregister.com/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/123
Author: Lee Rood, Register Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

HOUSE PANEL TO WEIGH METH PLANS

The group hopes to draft 'fact-based' policy aimed at cutting the number of 
toxic labs across the state.

Conceding that proposals to restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine in Iowa 
this year are far more complicated and controversial than first thought, 
lawmakers in the Iowa House on Wednesday announced the formation of a 
bipartisan panel to further examine the issue over coming weeks.

The goal of the panel, which will meet for the first time Monday, will be 
to draft "fact-based" policy that will significantly reduce the number of 
toxic, clandestine methamphetamine labs across the state. The group will 
operate in full view of the public and all special interests with a stake 
in the legislation, said Rep. Clel Baudler, a Greenfield Republican.

"Anybody and everybody who has a dog in this fight is invited," said 
Baudler, who chairs the House Public Safety Committee.

This morning, a Senate subcommittee is to hold its first hearing on Senate 
Study Bill 1025, a measure that would make pseudoephedrine a controlled 
substance. That bill, if passed, would restrict sales of cold medicines 
containing pseudoephedrine, a common meth ingredient, to pharmacies.

Sen. Keith Kreiman, a Bloomfield Democrat, said that for now, the House and 
Senate subcommittees meeting on the issue would remain separate.

"I feel like we've got a real good working relationship with House 
members," he said. "We all agree this is a very serious problem."

Since Gov. Tom Vilsack announced plans to restrict pseudoephedrine sales in 
October, he and other state leaders have received a barrage of input on the 
issue - from Iowans fed up with the meth problem, to law enforcement, to 
retailers and pharmacists, to dozens of lobbyists representing different 
trade groups. While many agree something must be done to curtail meth labs 
- - which reached a record 1,400 last year in Iowa - there is sharp 
disagreement on what steps need to be taken.

Baudler appointed fellow Republicans Royd Chambers of Sheldon and David 
Tjepkes of Gowrie to the special House subcommittee on pseudoephedrine. 
Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the ranking Democrat on the Public Safety Committee, 
appointed fellow Democrat Jim Lykam of Davenport.

Several key players in the meth battle on Wednesday applauded the formation 
of the special panel to examine the issue in depth.

"That's good. Let's get it out in the open and talk about it," said Ken 
Carter, the head of Iowa's narcotics bureau. "I would suggest that 
lawmakers need to know more to understand the totality of the problem."
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MAP posted-by: Beth