Anette Sweeney is in it to win it. Despite a lack of interest on the part of her fellow Legislators, the senator from Iowa’s 27th District is doggedly pursuing her dream of naming the American Cream Draft Horse the official state horse of Iowa again this year.

“I’ve been working on this for six years, and this session may be our best chance yet for passage,” she said.

The measure has never advanced out of committee in the last few sessions of the General Assembly, so what’s new or different this year?

As chair of Iowa’s Natural Resource Committee, Sweeney is able to bring up the measure there and oversee its progress.

She also has an ally this time around. State Rep. John Willis, of Iowa’s10th District, is an advocate for naming the Iowa Darter Iowa’s official state fish.

The state currently has neither an official state horse or fish.

Sweeney makes a compelling case on behalf of the American Cream Draft Horse.

“I’ve talked ad nauseum to fellow legislators, and once they know the backstory they begin to understand. Iowa has been a leader in agriculture from the time of statehood, and the American Cream Draft Horse is one of Iowa’s finest accomplishments.”

The American Cream is the only draft horse of purely American origin, and its growth and development undeniably took place in Story, Hamilton and Hardin counties which, Sweeney maintains, is historically significant.

The measure has never advanced to a vote because Legislators “just don’t think there’s a need,” according to Sweeney.

This year marks the first year in a new two-year legislative cycle known as “the General Assembly.” As such, Sweeney points out it’s an excellent time for a new bill to be introduced and advanced to a vote.

“Last session we had a strong email campaign, and I’m hopeful we can see that again this year. I urge everyone in support of the state horse legislation to email their legislators right away.

Sweeney’s sense of urgency is justified. The Legislative Services Agency’s Guide to the General Assembly clearly sets forth the procedures under which a bill can advance during any particular session:

“The Legislature operates under a schedule which sets deadlines for legislative action. This schedule is referred to as the ‘funnel’ and exists to make the session more manageable.”

In odd-numbered years, the Friday of the sixth week begins with the determination of which bills will make it through the “funnel” to a debate and vote on the floor of the Legislature. A series of carefully defined procedures govern the funnel through the end of the session, which occurs in the 15th week.