State legislators and student leaders will come together tonight to discuss the possible statewide ban of alcohol in all public and private post-secondary college dormitories.

The Government of the Student Body has joined the battle launched by the Inter-Residence Hall Association in opposition of the proposed ban. GSB and IRHA will host three state representatives in a joint meeting tonight at 7 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

“We have a unique opportunity here to have state legislators come speak with us,” said Matt Craft, GSB president. “Both GSB and IRHA are concerned with this issue, and we know [the legislators] are very busy.”

Rep. Rosemary Thomson, R-Marion, author of the House resolution, said the ban was proposed to increase student safety and to promote an academic atmosphere in the dorms.

“Students have a right to feel safe where they live,” Thomson said in an interview last week. “Let’s make our post-secondary institutions institutions of learning and of being responsible.”

IRHA launched the opposition to the ban, expressing its disapproval in a resolution passed last week. GSB has followed suit, filing its own resolution, which will be discussed at the senate meeting following the joint meeting.

The main issues under debate, senators said, is that the resolution is taking away student and administrative power to develop regulations for the university dorms. According to the senate resolution, “GSB believes that changes in ISU’s residence hall alcohol policy should be made by students and administrators, not state legislators.”

In addition, the ban would take away civil liberties to students who are older than 21 and live in the dorms, some senators said.

“This is not getting to the root of the problem,” said Jonathon Weaver, TRA and author of the senate resolution. “This wouldn’t change anything for underage drinkers. Deal with the people who are drinking illegally instead of making it illegal for more people to drink.”

Senators also question whether the ban would be enforced.

“Students aren’t going to stop drinking in the residence halls,” said Andrew Tofilon, LAS. “It’s just another rule that won’t be enforced.”

The representatives will speak on the resolution at the beginning of the meeting, and then the floor will be opened for questions, Craft said.

“This way, we get a good understanding for their reasoning behind the bill,” he said.

GSB will meet following the joint meeting in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. The following issues will be discussed:

Seating bills

* A bill to seat Shy Tosaka as a Family and Consumer Sciences senator. By Olson.

* A bill to seat Doug Miller as an off-campus senator. By Wisher, Olson and others.

Old business

* A funding bill to allocate $505 to the College of Agriculture Student Council to send members to the Western Agriculture Association Conference at California Polytechnic State University. By Friedrichsen, Rogis and others.

* A bill to change the GSB bylaws so no members of the election commission may run in any election supervised by the commission. By Shenton, who resigned earlier for undisclosed reasons, and Wisher.

* A bill to revise several parts of the constitution to “adequately address” the needs of the students and their government. By Wisher, Olson and others.

* A funding bill to allocate $1,322.40 to the election commission to enhance voter turnout and security. By Olson, Wisher and others.

* A funding bill to allocate no more than $125,000 for a shelter facility in the parking lot at the Iowa State Center. By Olson, Cordaro and others.

* A resolution to express senate disapproval of Iowa House of Representative legislation to propose an across-the-board prohibition of alcohol in all Iowa residence halls. By Weaver, DeKoster and others.

* A resolution to encourage the Memorial Union to allow 24-hour access to the student office spaces. By Wisher, McCurdy and others.

* A resolution to encourage the ISU administration to distribute funds from a possible one-beverage contract in a manner that primarily benefits ISU students. By Olson and Cordaro.

* A resolution to reform textbook policies. By McCurdy and Weaver.

* A resolution to support a calendar change in the Thanksgiving break. By McCurdy and Weaver.

* A resolution to consider the larger size of students when purchasing new desks. By McCurdy and Weaver.

* A resolution to oppose the proposed 1 cent local-option sales tax for Story County. By Wisher, Darrah and others.

New business

* A bill to increase respect in the senate by incorporating a policy that no hats be worn by senators and gallery members during senate meetings. By Peterson, Thome and others.

* A funding bill to allocate $200 to assist Student Legal Services in the purchase of a photocopier. By Wisher and Olson.

* A resolution to encourage the university to provide a room for people in which they may smoke legal products. By McCurdy and Weaver.