The latest legislation dealing with the Capitol Mall, site of the Occupy Boise vigil, is up for a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee this morning. State Department of Administration Director Teresa Luna told the committee that HB 693 would "better define the Capitol Mall properties," and authorize rulemaking about behavior there. "While the need for this legislation became clear because of the litigation regarding use of the  the Capitol Annex, this legislation is not targeted specifically at that use," she said. Her comment was greeted with a light sprinkling of laughter from the audience, which includes more than a dozen Occupy Boise supporters. Luna said the bill would allow rules like requiring pets to be leashed.

"This is another anti-Occupy bill," Katie Fite of Boise told the committee. She said under the bill's language, she questioned whether the state would be "trolling the Internet" for signs that anyone's planning an "illicit picnic on the Capitol grounds," and asked, "Is this bill aimed at controlling and perhaps even spying on those you don't like?"

Kay Marquart told the committee, "I really really think that your time could be spent on much more important issues. Many of you have become an embarrassment to the citizens of Idaho that you have not tackled the real issues." Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, gaveled her at that point; Marquart said she was done.

"We have spent a great deal of time listening to people about this particular issue," Loertscher said. "This is not a Legislature vs. the world issue. This is what needs to be done concerning the state properties, so please confine your remarks to the issue and not to the individuals involved."