Pubdate: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 Source: Sioux City Journal (IA) Copyright: 1999 Sioux City Journal Contact: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/945 Section: Capitol Correspondent Author: Kate Thompson HOUSE PASSES METH BILL DES MOINES - A bill providing $3.3 million for methamphetamine enforcement, prevention, education and treatment passed the Iowa House on a 92-0 vote Monday. The measure had already passed the Iowa Senate and now will go to Gov. Tom Vilsack for his signature. It is half of the bipartisan methamphetamine agreement between Vilsack and Iowa lawmakers. The other half, a bill which toughens penalties for drug crimes, has already passed the Iowa House and should come up for debate this week in the Senate. The meth appropriation bill funds a variety of programs in five areas: Justice, Human Services, Health and Human Rights, Administration and Education. In the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the bill adds six narcotics enforcement agents, two full-time lab techs who were previously funded with federal money and a 13-member meth strike force that includes narotics agents, a fire marshal special agent, five state patrol offiers, one DCI investigator and one tech support person from the Division of Narcotics Enforcement. An additional $100,000 is appropriated for a youth leadership model program for at-risk youth in the Department of Corrections. The program was initiated in the 6th Judicial District where at-risk teen-age males are matched with athletes from the University of Iowa. The measure continues expanding the drug courts into additional districts, including Sioux City and Council Bluffs, through the Iowa Department of Corrections. Federal funds will be available for the first year and will be matched with state money to expand existing drug courts into western Iowa. In the Department of Public Health, $1.5 million will be appropriated for additional methamphetamine treatment programs. Several other drug prevention and mentoring programs also will be funded. The Department of Public Health also is required to include a methamphetamine program component in the nutrition and health-related education services under the Women, Infants and Children supplemental food program. Additional funding is provided to expand the substance abuse and sexual abuse treatment programs at the Eldora Training School to provide treatment to all of those who need it. The bill creates a labor management substance abuse educational program in the Iowa Department of Personnel with $30,000 from the Health Insurance Surplus Account. The program also provides funding to the Iowa State University Strengthening Families Program for families with children ages 10 to 14 to help prevent drug use. It will also take advantage of federal funds available through the General Services Administration. Additional programs also would seek to discourage drug use.