Guv: ‘Would’ve vetoed those two anyway’
Gov. Butch Otter says there's no relationship between the two bills he vetoed this morning - HB 161a on security breaches that release personal information, and HB 245, which established a Parents as Teachers program under the Children's Trust Fund - and his dispute with the Legislature over transportation. "I think I would've vetoed these bills no matter - in fact, I don't even know who carried the bills," he said. HB 161a was sponsored by Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, and HB 245 was sponsored by Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise. However, HB 245 was co-sponsored by House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, an outspoken opponent of Otter's fuel tax increase bill who spoke out against it in the House and also criticized Otter's executive order for accountability measures at the Idaho Transportation Department, saying it wasn't worth the piece of paper it was printed on. Trail's bill, which had eight co-sponsors including members of both majority and minority leadership in the House, passed both houses unanimously. It required notification to the Attorney General when state agencies inadvertently release personal information.