Governor scrutinizes bills for last minute additions

Governor Tom Vilsack may item veto a “pro-tobacco” item slipped into a budget bill on the last night of the legislative session. The Senate struck down the penalty for tobacco companies which give t-shirts and other promotional items to minors. The Senate also undid a ban on cigarette company freebies for adults. The ban had cleared both the House and Senate days earlier. The House was forced to approve the backtracking, as the Senate passed the bill and adjourned for the year. Vilsack says he’ll take “a very close look” as the bills that have come to his desk. Vilsack has 30 days to make a decision on line-item vetoes, and he says he’s sure there’ll be a number of them.