<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3020" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Legislative News</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>February 12, 2007</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>After a series of meetings with <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:PlaceName> law professor Elizabeth Brandt, representatives
of law enforcement, Representatives Shirley Ringo and <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Tom</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Trail</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>, and interested citizens, Professor
Brandt crafted proposed legislation designed to add protection for victims of
domestic violence.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This legislation
was successfully introduced in the House Judiciary and Rules committee last
Friday.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>A full hearing in House Bill 172 is scheduled for Monday, February 19, at
1:30 PM.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(Judiciary and Rules
Committee)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Representatives Ringo
and Trail are sponsors of the bill, and Professor Brandt has agreed to be in
attendance at the hearing to answer questions on the technicalities. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Representatives Shirley Ringo and Anne Pasley-Stuart crafted legislation
to modify <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:State>’s minimum wage law.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Representative</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Tom</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Trail</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> and Senator Gary Schroeder were
co-sponsors of the proposed bill.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Three main aspects of this legislation were:<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>set the minimum wage at $7.25 per hour,
to be adjusted annually for inflation; eliminate the “tip credit” over a seven
year period of time; decrease the age for receiving a “training wage” to under
18 years, and decrease the length of time for using the “training wage”
from 90 days to 30 days.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Our
proposal was defeated in favor of a Republican leadership bill to simply conform
to federal minimum wage law.</FONT></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 75pt">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has plans to devolve (eliminate) two state
agencies:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Human Resources and the
Department of Administration.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Currently, many legislators have reservations concerning these plans and
think the Governor may be moving too fast.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>There are many unanswered questions.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For example, with respect to devolving
the Department of Administration, 69.6 FTP would be eliminated and 108.5 farmed
out to other agencies.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Among the
many positions eliminated would be building maintenance and ground crews.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Governor Otter believes we should
contract with private employers for these services.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is questionable whether this would
save money.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In general, salaries of
public employees do not compare favorably with the private sector. Many of these
people have been loyal state workers for a number of years. They know the
building and have a good institutional memory.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some are just a few years away from
retirement.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Lawmakers will be asked
to vote on these plans before the end of this session.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It will be interesting to see whether
legislators will have questions resolved and be ready to give their approval.
</FONT></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 75pt">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>After listening to hours of testimony, JFAC will soon begin the process
of setting budgets.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am currently
working with others on a proposal for the public school budget.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is a delicate balancing act to put
together the best motion possible, and one that the committee will seriously
consider.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>I’ll keep you posted as we move through the process.</FONT></P>
<DIV
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 1pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 75pt">
<P class=MsoNormal
style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><o:p><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3> </FONT></o:p></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Shirley</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>