[Vision2020] Legislative Update Feb 28-Mar 4 from Rep. Trail

[ttrail at moscow.com]

Dear Visionaries:

There was plenty of action this week in the Legislature.

1.  Dead Man Walking  --  The Senate Ethnics Committee found Sen. Jack 
Noble guilty in concealing his conflict of interest with a bill he 
introduced and then lying to the Committee.  The committee, splitting on 
a party basis, recommended that Sen. Noble be censured and stripped of 
his Vice Chairmanship position.  The three Democrats voted to expel Sen. 
Noble.  The Senator will appear before the full Senate early next week.  
The citizens of is district have the opportunity for a recall.  Most 
legislators I talked to supported expulsion.  This in a sense to clear 
the air.  There is that old saying, "Once you've lost your integrity, you 
can do anything?"  Ironically,  Sen. Gary Schroeder introduced an ethics 
bill yesterday that was defeated on a 5-2 vote in committee.

2.  Snake River Basin Adjudication  --  The proposed water rights 
settlement between the Nez Perce Tribe and Idaho won overwhelming support 
in the House earlier in the week.  The agreement is a product of five 
years of confidential negotiations.  The deal gives the Nez Perce Tribe 
land, money, some water rights and partial control of two hatcheries.  In 
exchange, the tribe will drop most of its water claims in the Snake River 
Basin.  Most experts expect the Senate to pass the bill.

3.  Corrections gets a 7.3% boost in funding.  This brings the 
corrections budget up to $118 million.  Director Tom Beauclair said that 
the prison population is expected to hit 6,480 by the end of June.  The 
overflow of the prison population have been housed in county jails and 
tents.  Judges need more discretion in sentencing and training and 
educational programs are essential to help inmates get a job when they 
complete their sentence.

JFAC approved a 2.5% increase for Higher Education although this was 
about $1 million below the Governor's proposal.  Community Colleges 
received a 3.9% increase.

3.  Proposed 14% increase for Fish and Game fees died in committee.  A 
number of sportsmen's groups supported a smaller increase, and some 
sportsmen's groups wanted no increase until the Department could 
demonstrate increased accountability in terms of how monies spent by the 
Department benefit fish and game projects.

4.  Contractor's Registration Bill  --  A bill that would require 
building contractors to register their businesses and provide minimal 
insurance passed the House on Thursday.  The legislation would create a 
registration system for contractors to registered with the state Bureau 
of Occupational Licenses.  It also would allow the state to reject the 
registration of contractors who prove to be incompetent, dishonest or 
unprincipled.  It is a good consumer protection piece of legislation.

5.  Senate Approves Family Planning Bill  --  Supporters claim the bill 
will prevent unwanted pregnancies through birth control counseling and 
save millions in future Medicaid expenses.  The bill would expand family 
planning services to women over 19, and families whose children are 
enrolled in the state health insurance program called CHIPs.  A total of 
21 other states have enacted similar legislation which covers diagnosis, 
treatment, contraceptive supplies, and counseling.  Conservative 
opposition had concerns that the funds would end up in the hands of 
planned parenthood.

6.  HB 167  --  This bill would have increased the penalty level from 
misdemeanors to the felony level for extreme animal cruelty and dog and 
gamecock fighting.  I was the sponsor of the bill with the support of the 
Idaho Humane Society and Veterinarians.  The bill was held in committee.  
However, the Department of Agriculture will form a committee this summer 
to study updating the Idaho animal cruelty laws.  I will be on the 
committee, and I hope that with a broader base of support to get 
legislation approved next session.
 
7.  Newspaper of Record  --  HB 255  --  Currently, the newspaper in a 
county with the greatest circulation is the only one that can legally 
carry legal advertising.  Only Idaho and Kentucky have such laws in 
effect.  The problem was brought to me by LuJane Nisse, Editor of the 
Latah Eagle.  The circulation of the Eagle is greater than that of the 
Daily news in the majority of the rural Latah County communities.  Our 
bill proposed to allow local elected officials, i.e. mayors and city 
councils to designate which paper should be the paper of record.

The lobbyist for the big daily newspapers simply told us that it is a 
matter of money, and that the big daily's simply want to protect their 
revenue stream and preserve their monopoly.  Both parties made their 
case, and Chairman Bill Deal formed a subcommittee and all parties will 
be working together next week to try and come up with a solution.

 
It looks like March 25th may be a possibility date for finishing the 
session. I'd like to hear your concerns and questions.  My e mail is 
ttrail at house.state.id.us and phone 332-1260.
 

Rep. Tom Trail

 

 

 


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