An attempt to pass an emergency plan to keep some state elected officialsfrom resigning has failed. A new state law keeps the elected officials fromholding office while collecting state retirement benefits. Legislators andofficials from the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System put forth a planto make and emergency change. House speaker Brent Seigrist, a Council Bluffsrepublican, says the governor’s office said the issue needs to be decided bythe legislature.Seigrist says they want to make a temporary change to accomodate thoseofficials affected by the law, but says they can’t do it without thegovernor’s help.Elected officials in Shell Rock, Sumner, Hudson and Oxford Junction have hadto resign to be able to collect their retirement benefits from previousstate jobs.
