<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" ><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><DIV>"Criminal background checks would be required of anyone caring <BR>for more than four children."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Why is this, so they can keep the number of children harmed to four at a time?</DIV>
<DIV>People should be background checked to work with ANY number of children, elderly, or persons with a disability. Anyone who is responsible and in charge of another person, should be background checked, no questions about it. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"The bill is presented as an economic stimulus bill for the <BR>state based on the doubling and trebling of liquor licenses--"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>What's the matter Governor, is it too far between bars for you on your drives? </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>". . . doubling and trebling of liquor licenses--even <BR>McDonald's could qualify."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Well, it would bring new meaning to "Happy Meal" if they swapped the OJ with a Vodka. But I sure would hate to be the McD worker cleaning up Playland after that switch. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best Regards,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Donovan<BR><BR>--- On <B>Sat, 4/11/09, ttrail@moscow.com <I><ttrail@moscow.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"><BR>From: ttrail@moscow.com <ttrail@moscow.com><BR>Subject: [Vision2020] Legislative Update XIII April 4-9<BR>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Date: Saturday, April 11, 2009, 8:05 AM<BR><BR>
<DIV class=plainMail>LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER XIII--APRIL 4-9/2009<BR><BR>Constituents: As Mark Twain once said, "Every man's life, liberty, <BR>and property is at risk until the Legislature Sine <SPAN>Die's</SPAN>." We are <BR>still in Boise and it looks like another week.<BR>Here are some of the highlights of the week.<BR><BR> 1. SB1148--Governor Otter's Alcohol Bill is up for the second day of <BR>debate in House Jud and Rules Committee. Over 50 citizens turned out to <BR>testify. The bill is presented as an economic stimulus bill for the <BR>state based on the doubling and trebling of liquor licenses--even <BR>McDonald's could qualify. The Governor's Attorney who presented the bill <BR>said that all important groups were represented in the negotiations. <BR>However, <SPAN>MADD</SPAN>, the PTA, Drug Rehab organizations, and the IEA (which <BR>represents over
14,000 teachers and 270,000 students and families) were <BR>not invited.<BR><BR>2. <SPAN>HB</SPAN>135--The Governor's bill to increase the tax on gas by 2 <BR>cents/gallon failed on a 32-37 vote. I supported the bill.<BR><BR>3. Common Sense--We passed legislation restoring 41 auditor positions of <BR>the Idaho State Tax Commission. The cost of the positions with salaries <BR>and benefits is about $1,000,000 and they are expected to recover about <BR>$6-$7 million in unpaid taxes--a good investment.<BR><BR>4. Legalizing the Growing of Industrial Hemp for Farmers As An <BR>Alternative Crop -Barney Frank and Ron Paul introduced HR1866 yesterday <BR>in Congress. Representative Paul said a few days ago in Congress, "It <BR>is unfortunate that the federal government has stood in the way of <BR>American farmers, including many who are struggling to make ends meet, <BR>from competing in the global industrial hemp
market.” He added, "Indeed <BR>the founders of our nation, some of whom grew hemp, would surely find <BR>that federal restrictions on farmers growing a safe and profitable crop <BR>on their own land are inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of a <BR>limited, restrained federal government." I have been advocating similar <BR>legislation in Idaho for 12 years and I'm having new legislation drawn up <BR>consistent with the federal legislation.<BR><BR>5. Four Day School Week--17 school districts in Idaho have now gone to <BR>a four day week. The new Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan said in an <BR>interview on Tuesday that his plans for school reform include making sure <BR>students spend more time in school. "I fundamentally think that our <BR>school day is too short, our school week is too short and our school year <BR>is too short. You're competing for jobs with kids from India and China. <BR>I think
schools should be open six, seven days a week, 11, 12 months a <BR>year," said Duncan in a recent interview. A study of the impact of the <BR>four day school week is now being conducted in Idaho.<BR><BR> 6. SB1015--Day Care Licensing--the goal of this bill is the matter of <BR>keeping children safe. There appears to be a good chance that with the <BR>House amendments the bill may be passed. Licensing requirements for <BR>child care centers with 13 or more children would include fire and safety <BR>inspections. This would also cover centers taking care of 7 or more <BR>children. Criminal backgound checks would be required of anyone caring <BR>for more than four children.<BR><BR>7. Quagga Mussel Legislation--The Idaho Senate has approved a bill that <BR>raises registration fees for boaters to help keep invasive quagga and <BR>zebra mussels from invading Idaho waters. HB
213 goes to the Governor. <BR>The measure would create a $10 sticker for registered boats and <BR>watercraft longer than 10 feet. Out-of- state boaters would buy a $20 <BR>sticker. The funds would pay for special inspection and boat washing to <BR>rid the boats of the mussels and their tiny eggs. SCR109 which <BR>authorizes the use of deficiency warrants by the Director of the Idaho <BR>State Agricultural Department to help pay the costs of combating the <BR>mussels. I co-sponsored both bills.<BR><BR>8. Subprime Mortgage Loans--Idaho Attorney General, Lawrence Wasden, <BR>recently reported that State Attorney General's warned the Federal <BR>Government at least five years ago about the subprime mortgage problem. <BR>The warning was directed at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency <BR>which is the Federal Agency responsible for oversight of national banks. <BR>Not only did the OCC reject this warning but
decided to preempt <BR>protective state laws as they applied to national banks. State consumer <BR>protection laws designed to protect consumers from deceptive and <BR>predatory lenders, to ensure responsible mortgage lending, and help to <BR>preserve a stable financial market at the state level were all negated at <BR>the Federal level. Again, another part of a sad story.<BR><BR>9. Words for the Day--In the end we will conserve only what we love. We <BR>will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are <BR>taught. Baba Dioum, Senegalese Conservationist.<BR><BR>Hopefully next week will wrap things up, but as always I appreciate your <BR>comments, suggestions, and ideas.<BR><BR>My e mail is <A href="http://us.mc381.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=ttrail@house.idaho.gov" ymailto="mailto:ttrail@house.idaho.gov">ttrail@house.idaho.gov</A> and phone (208) 332-1184.<BR><BR>Representative Tom
Trail<BR><BR><BR>---------------------------------------------<BR>This message was sent by First Step Internet.<BR> <A href="http://www.fsr.com/" target=_blank>http://www.fsr.com/</A><BR><BR><BR></DIV><BR>-----Inline Attachment Follows-----<BR><BR>
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