Governor says "Safe Haven" bill is a good concept, "bottle bill" needs more work

Governor Tom Vilsack supports the concept behind a bill that would let moms of newborns drop their babies off at a hospital, without fear of being prosecuted for abandonment. Vilsack says it’s a good thing to do.Vilsack’s main concern, though, is that the bill is written in such a way as to prevent drawn-out court battles over the father’s rights. He says he doesn’t want to allow someone to sue a year later, saying Iowa’s law didn’t give them proper legal access to their child.The Governor says legislators trying to re-do Iowa’s “bottle bill” have “tried too hard.”Iowa has a nickel deposit for redeeming many drink cans and bottles. A coalition has been pushing to include more containers in the mix, and give grocery stores a bit more for handling the empties.The bill which cleared a House and a Senate committee would gradually get grocery stores out of the business of accepting empties. Legislative leaders agree with Vilsack and say the bill won’t be debated anymore.