Bills yet to pass out of committee in the Iowa Legislature will be eliminated on Friday, burying some key issues in the political graveyard for the remainder of the legislative session.

The end of “funnel week,” a procedure to keep the volume of bills considered by the General Assembly at a manageable level, means bills concerning ethanol and an increase in Iowa’s minimum wage face elimination if they are not approved by a full committee by Friday.

Rep. Lisa Heddens, D-Ames, said she wants debate to continue for the minimum-wage bills.

“It’s my hope we can take a look at minimum wage so Iowans can make more working and living wages,” Heddens said.

House File 2032, which would increase the minimum wage to $6.15 an hour, had yet to gain approval of the House Commerce, Regulations and Labor Committee by Thursday afternoon.

A measure reducing state income taxes for Iowans who buy new vehicles that use E-85, a fuel blend with 85 percent ethanol, has failed to pass out of the House Agriculture Committee.

Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, said the key to E-85 lies in increasing the availability of the fuel.

“I think it’s important to promote E-85 and ethanol, and I have no problems with giving tax breaks, but the main problem is making the fuel more available at more stations,” Wessel-Kroeschell said.

Senate File 406, a measure requiring Iowa schools to adhere to a statewide anti-bullying policy, passed out of the Senate Committee on Government Oversight despite some supporters’ predictions that the bill would not gain the committee’s approval.

Legislators still have tools at their disposal to resurrect bills that don’t survive the “funnel,” but Rep. Jim Kurtenbach, R-Nevada, said the week means the end of the line for most measures that don’t receive committee support.

Bills involving budgets or taxes are exempt from the deadline.

“There’s still quite a number of bills that could potentially be addressed if the leaders believe the issues are important,” Kurtenbach said.

“But, with that in mind, the ‘funnel week’ still means a lot of bills will not see the end of this legislative session.”

A bill sponsored by Heddens that would impose stricter penalties on drivers who flee the scene of serious automobile accidents will not face elimination this week. The measure passed in the House Public Safety Committee in early February.

Heddens said the bill, which would allow felony charges to be brought against hit-and-run drivers, has been approved for full-floor debate, which should occur in the coming weeks.

She said the bill has received bipartisan support after 20 of the Public Safety Committee’s 21 members voted in favor of the bill.