The House State Affairs Committee has voted in favor of HB 633, Rep. Phil Hart's silver medallion bill, with just one no vote, from Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart, D-Boise. All testimony was in favor of the bill. Larry Pegg of Canyon County told the committee, "I've had over 100 people through my home, meetings on various political ideas. Almost every meeting, somebody brings up the currency that we are now operating under. ... The Constitution states we're going to have gold and silver coins, in 1913 they changed that - everybody's looking for a way to get back to gold and silver."

John Blattler of Boise County told the panel he's concerned about the impact of inflation on U.S. dollars. An American could purchase a "fine man's suit back in the 1900s" for a $20 gold piece, Blattler said. "Now for a 20-dollar bill, you'd be lucky to get a fine tie - well, you can't get a fine tie for $20 dollars. ... Our currency is losing its value." The bill now moves to the full House.

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