From session priorities to politics to science standards…
Among the issues that legislative leaders from both parties addressed at this morning’s AP Legislative Preview:
SESSION PRIORITIES: House Speaker Scott Bedke said, “I believe there’s going to be a discussion on tax policy, and that will include tax relief. We’re going to attempt to raise everyone’s awareness of how the federal changes affect Idaho’s revenue. I think we’re going to finish what we started five years ago with regard to public schools. And the fact that you guys don’t ask questions about that anymore is indicative of the fact that it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re going to see that through.” Bedke said the first recommendations on changes to the public school funding formula will come out this session, and there will be continued emphasis on workforce development and that all Idahoans have an opportunity to go on for further training post-high school. Lawmakers will deal with some “custom and culture” changes due to the Idaho Supreme Court’s ruling on end-of-session vetoes. Unanimous recommendations from a legislative interim committee to increase campaign finance reporting requirements and implement Idaho’s first-ever personal financial disclosure requirements will come forward, he said. “When we talk at the end of the session, I hope that we can check each one of these boxes.”
House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding said, “I thnk it’s important that we address and we continue to address teacher attrition rates in Idaho. … We also know we want to increase workforce development,” and go-on rates for higher education. But he said more resources will be needed, and the Legislature’s been allocating fewer, not more, resources to higher education over the past two decades. “I think there’s bipartisan support for a clean unemployment insurance tax bill,” he said. But he said he doesn’t believe Idahoans see further tax cuts as a priority, “if they value education and they value lower property taxes.”
PRISONS: Leaders from both parties said attention will be paid this session to corrections, ranging from additional efforts in justice reinvestment to coping with the state’s once again growing inmate population to re-examining mandatory minimum sentences.
POLITICS: With a big election year in store and a number of lawmakers running for higher office, Erpelding said, “It’s going to be like the OK Corral. There’s going to be a shootout.” Bedke said, “Shootout is going to have quotes around it and we’re going to conduct that in a very civil way. We have the people’s business to conduct. … There’ll be an elevated level of rhetoric and posturing eloquence … that type of thing. Make sure that that camera gets me fully type thing. But then it’s all going to fall away, I think, with the issues. I think there’ll be an element of that, but I think that most of these candidates know where the line is, and if they don’t, and if I’m in the chair, I’ll remind ‘em.”
HEALTH CARE: Legislative leaders said they need a lot more information about Gov. Butch Otter’s new health care proposal. “No. 1, we’ve got to understand,” Bedke said. “The proposal that was presented today, I personally have not been briefed up.”
FAITH HEALING/HUMAN RIGHTS: Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill said, “I don’t think anybody’s come up with the right bill to get that through.” Erpelding said the Legislature seems to have trouble addressing important, basic human-rights issues, from children who die because their parents don’t believe in medical care to LGBT residents who still have no legal protection from firing or eviction solely based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
SCIENCE STANDARDS: After last year’s Legislature rejected several sections of the state’s science standards that dealt with climate change, newly rewritten versions of those will be back for consideration this year. Bedke said he’s “not going to micromanage the House Education Committee.” Erpelding, “I think this is an example of where representative government can sometimes fail the people. … Periodically we can get our hair on fire over something that we shouldn’t have. I think in rejected that rule that’s maybe an ex of where we did that. ... Luckily for us, over time I think legislatures tend to correct errors.” Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett said, “We have to remember that many schools are still teaching it.”
