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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>February 15, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>This week at the legislature from Shirley Ringo<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>Idaho Senators failed to confirm Governor Otter’s nominee, Joan Hurlock from Idaho Falls, to the Fish and Game Commission. The vote was 19 – 16 against her confirmation. It is the first time in 39 years that the Senate has failed to confirm the Governor’s nominee to this commission. There are some who suggest it was a case of gender bias. Monty Pearce, chair of the Resources and Environment Committee suggested that Ms. Hurlock might withdraw and perhaps be appointed to the Nursing Board rather than the Fish and Game Commission. Senator Pearce also expressed concern during the confirmation process that he might have detected signs of environmentalism in Ms. Hurlock’s attitude. One issue identified by those with Fish and Game programs involves avoiding a waning interest in hunting and fishing. It would seem that Ms. Hurlock’s focus upon programs for children would have been useful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>Many of the bills we consider here are of the “housekeeping” type – often there is no opposition. With the large number of new people in the legislature this year, I have awaited some of those more controversial bills to help me understand their leanings on issues. One of those bills was considered this week. It was a bill designed to include pregnancy resource clinics as exempt from the Idaho State Sales Tax by including them under the definition of “health related entities” in Idaho Code. This new definition states: “For purposes of this paragraph, “health-related entities” shall also include any pregnancy resource clinic that is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, operated under the supervision of a licensed physician and does not perform the termination of a pregnancy.” House Bill 62 prevailed by a vote of 58 – 12. The vote was along party lines, except for one Democrat who voted with the majority.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>Prior to the downturn in the economy, Idaho’s median wage ranked 43<sup>rd</sup> nationally. Currently, Idaho’s median wage ranks last in the nation. Governor Otter’s recommendation is that Idaho public employees receive no pay increase for the next fiscal year. In past years, a CEC Committee (Change in Employee Compensation) met prior to the beginning of the legislative session to hold hearings on public employee pay and make recommendations. This committee has failed to meet for five years to consider issues related to compensation. Because of this, Representative Phylis King (Boise) and I are holding a meeting on February 18 to provide an opportunity for citizens to speak up about issues related to compensation, and other issues. We hope for a good turnout. The meeting will be in room 42 of the capitol building from 4 PM until 6 PM. We’re hoping for a good crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>Legislation related to setting up an Idaho Insurance Exchange has successfully been voted out of a Senate Committee. The legislation, Senate Bill 1042, will be up for discussion soon on the Senate floor. Expectations are that it will pass in the Senate, and will have a close vote in the House. A group consisting of sixteen freshman legislators has proposed accompanying legislation that will increase their comfort level so they can support the exchange. This accompanying legislation adds a measure of oversight and transparency to the process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>Next week, the “gun bills” will probably appear in legislative committees. Representative Judy Boyle (R-Midvale) is sponsoring two of them. One, she states, will strengthen state law enforcement agency ability to resist any federal attempts to confiscate weapons or ammunition declared illegal under federal law. Another would create a new category of concealed weapons permit that requires more training. Representative Boyle believes such an enhanced permit could persuade more school boards to allow people to carry concealed weapons on their campuses.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>The Idaho School Boards Association is pursuing legislation to restore measures of the defeated Proposition 1. Teachers were not consulted about these bills at the formative stages. After the bills were introduced, though, teachers were invited to enter discussions. It has been difficult because the legislation has been drafted so that measures the teachers might find tolerable are paired with repugnant measures in the same bill. For example, one pairs open negotiations (which teachers can accept) with allowing the trustees to automatically impose their “last best offer” if a negotiated settlement is not reached by June 10 (which teachers find completely unacceptable). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>So goes the session … .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>I have many messages on such topics as gun control, insurance exchange, and medical education. I am always pleased to hear from you, and you can contact legislators about the issues I have mentioned, or any others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.5pt;color:#111111'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>