OSKALOOSA — Public safety issues dominated the final Eggs & Issues legislative forum Saturday morning.

Democrats state Rep. Eric Palmer and state Sen. Tom Rielly fielded questions ranging from gun rights to ditch mowing from a packed house at Smokey Row.

This past week, the Iowa House and Senate passed a bill that forces those who are convicted of domestic abuse to give up their firearms. An audience member thought this measure could be the first step in a gun ban in the state.

“I have no interest in taking your guns,” Palmer said.

The only persons who would give up their gun rights would be convicted domestic abusers, he said. Also, this law does nothing new — it just takes a federal law and makes it a state law, which will allow for better enforcement of the measure, he added.

On Second Amendment issues, Palmer said: “I’ve never wanted to take away that right. I’m not after your firearms.”

“If you want to keep your guns, don’t beat your wife,” Rielly added.

Palmer said there was a bipartisan effort on the bill, and the National Rifle Association also weighed in on the bill.

“The NRA registered ‘neutral’ on the bill. They think it’s a good bill too,” Palmer said.

An audience member thanked the lawmakers for passing the measure since it protects children in the household.

Also this past week, the Iowa House passed the “Ed Thomas Bill,” which the Senate also passed, that came as the result of Mark Becker’s murder of football coach Ed Thomas. The bill creates a process for law enforcement officers to be notified of the discharge of a person taken in for mental health evaluation that also faces criminal charges. Also, a law enforcement officer must retrieve a person within six hours of notification. 

Palmer said that under the bill, a law enforcement officer must submit contact information when delivering someone for mental health evaluation.

“I thought it was a simple bill,” said Rielly, who had a hand in drafting the bill. An officer takes a person to an institution for evaluation and when the process is done, the officer is notified and the person is taken back into custody, he added.

“The family (of Coach Thomas) was very actively involved” in the bill drafting process, Palmer said.

Mahaska County Supervisor Willie VanWeelden also asked the lawmakers about a measure that would not allow county crews from mowing ditches until July.

Palmer said the bill encourages county crews to not do that to enhance the nesting habitat for pheasants until after chicks are hatched and thus increasing the state’s pheasant population.

“It’s not a mandate,” Palmer said.

Herald Editor Duane Nollen can be reached by email at oskynews@oskyherald.com