[Vision2020] Idaho House Votes Against Physical Impairment Exception

[Ron Force]

Latah Reps Mitchell and Nilsson-Troy voted No
>From Betsy Russell, Idaho Press

House rejects remote-voting option for physically impaired reps on
party-line vote, leaving Rep. Davis 'devastated;' link to my full story
Posted by Betsy Jan 15, 2021 Updated 6 hrs ago

BETSY Z. RUSSELL/Idaho Press
The Idaho House on Friday voted down Rep. Muffy Davis’ motion to suspend
rules to allow her to vote remotely this session on an 11-49 party-line
vote, leaving Davis, a paraplegic who uses a wheelchair, in tears.

“People’s health and welfare shouldn’t be partisan,” Davis, D-Ketchum, told
the Idaho Press, her voice breaking. “And unfortunately this virus, which
doesn’t care whether you’re disabled — it’s affecting everyone all over the
world — has become a political pawn.”

"Life should be more important than that," said Davis, a world-renowned
Paralympic athlete who was injured in a ski-racing accident at age 16 that
left her with impaired lung function as well as without the use of her legs.

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, noted that the motion was pared
down at the last minute to make it as narrow as possible, allowing remote
voting only for “a member of the House who has a physical impairment that
places them at high risk for serious negative outcomes such as permanent
physical damage or death if they were to contract COVID-19.”

“This was a very small ask,” Rubel said. “This is basically something that
would’ve affected probably two people. … Most other legislatures are
already doing this.”

Idaho GOP legislative leaders, who hold a large majority, have convened
their session in person, and have refused to require masks or social
distancing in their chambers, despite public health guidelines for the
COVID-19 pandemic. Their actions in their chambers are exempt from local
public health orders because they’re a separate branch of government.

“This was basic humane relief we were asking for,” Rubel said. “It was kind
of heartbreaking to see this go down on a party-line vote.”

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, strongly defended his “no” vote. “She took an
oath of office and when she ran for office, she knew what the rules were,"
he said.

Ron Force
Moscow Idaho USA
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