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Water quality, medical marijuana survive legislative cut

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March 10th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A proposal to pay for water quality initiatives in Iowa and a bill that would expand access to medical marijuana are among several measures in the Iowa Legislature expected to survive a deadline for bills to advance this session.

The “second funnel” deadline Friday meant an uncertain future for state oversight of Medicaid privatization and unregulated boarding schools, though Democratic leaders vowed to revive those measures by adding them to a budget bill. Some lawmakers have been skeptical of Gov. Terry Branstad’s plan to pay for water quality initiatives through a 1-cent sales tax for school infrastructure. Branstad says it will create new funding for both issues.

The Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-majority Senate also announced a compromise Thursday on tax measures, but they remain apart on K-12 education spending.