Republican leader says ethanol bill a 50-50 proposition

The Legislature’s top Republican leader gives a “pro-ethanol” bill only a 50-50 shot at becoming law. The bill, which cleared a Senate Committee this week, would force gas stations to offer ethanol by January — and in another year, stations would be required to offer ethanol in the lowest octane, 87.House Speaker Brent Siegrist (see’-grist), a republican from Council Bluffs, says the House would certainly consider the bill, but there are are some major concerns about it. He says some legislators are worried that blending ethanol at the lowest octane level would force and increase in gas prices.Siegrist made his comments during taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press.”