Nine north central lawmakers shared their takes on the session. The "Big Story" is what they found most notable. Also, they shared major disappointments and major accomplishments and what they're doing this summer.
District 6:
Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, chairman of the Senate Resource and Environment Committee.
Big Story:
Lawmakers approved $250 million more in bonding for six highway projects (known as GARVEE). A bad move, he said, because the money relies on dwindling federal dollars and will halt projects elsewhere in the state.
Satisfactions:
l Wolves may no longer be endangered species by next year and the cost of resident wolf hunting tags is set at $9.75.
l A low-income scholarship was created, getting about $2 million a year to Idaho students.
Disappointments:
l Elk ranchers killed an effort to regulate their industry.
l Poor teacher salary increase.
Summer Work:
l Will study ways to keep access open to state lands
l Work with a committee to develop a stable funding source for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
---
Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, state budget committee member.
Big Story:
The Republican leaders were "heavy-handed" keeping moderate Republicans in check.
"It was probably the most difficult session I've been able to participate in."
Satisfactions:
l Money to update the public television studio at the University of Idaho.
l Some grants for the arts commission and money for a new curator for the state historical museum.
l More funding for substance abuse and mental health issues.
Disappointments:
l Failure to pass an address confidentiality law to help abuse victims hide from abusers.
l The minimum wage will not increase with inflation.
l Poor salary increase for teachers.
Summer Work:
l Work on the address confidentiality bill for abuse victims
l Work to toughen seat belt laws for children.
---
Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Big Story:
The relation between the Legislature and the new governor: "We had our backyard fights and maybe we had our paint guns out waiting around the corner."
Satisfactions:
l Helped pass a low-income scholarship bill worth $2 million a year to students.
Disappointments:
l Poor teacher salary increase.
l Failure of the address confidentiality bill.
Summer Work:
l Hopes to be on two interim committees: tax and biomass energy.
l Will work on a new address confidentiality bill.
District 7:
Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston, Senate assistant majority leader.
Big Story:
New governor, new House speaker, new relationships: "This session didn't really reach any kind of conclusion about the direction the state's going to go."
Satisfactions:
l Funding for mental health and substance abuse issues.
l The Senate Local Government and Tax Committee rejected "favoritism" in tax laws by declining sales tax exemption bills until the whole tax system is studied.
Disappointments:
l No cut or repeal of personal property taxes for businesses and no grocery tax credit increase.
l Idaho dental insurance companies still have a tax advantage over out-of-state competitors.
Summer Work:
l Will sit on the interim tax committee.
l Will chair a subcommittee on mental health.
---
Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, House minority caucus chairman.
Big Story:
The "control" of House leaders: "There were several well thought out and popular pieces of legislation - vote by mail, local option taxes for transit - that because they didn't meet a small number of people's opinion, they got axed."
Satisfactions:
l A "robocall" bill to require up-front identification on telephone messages left by automated dialing devices.
l Keeping the Health Quality Planning Commission in existence.
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l Extending Medicaid coverage to personal care services for the disabled.
Disappointments:
l The state won't help schools update fire sprinkler systems.
l Rejection of setting child-care standards and failure to make it easier to create community college districts.
l The passage of English-only legislation and refusing services to people without citizenship documents.
Summer Work:
l Work to build support and develop strategies for initiatives such as improving child-care safety and expanding local option taxation.
---
Rep. Liz Chavez, D-Lewiston, freshman lawmaker.
Big Story:
The "family feud" between Republicans in control of all branches of government while Democrats looked on: "We, the minority party, have been locked out of the process."
Satisfactions:
l The low-income scholarship for $2 million a year.
l Approving $5 million to give to any area that has a good plan to form a community college district.
l A new nursing building at Lewis-Clark State College.
Disappointments:
l The failure of a bill to post warning signs for pregnant women where alcohol is sold.
l Failure to toughen seat belt laws for children.
l Passage of a bill requiring doctors to offer ultrasound pictures to women seeking abortions.
Summer Work:
l Working on child safety and education standards.
l Working to improve access to financial aid for home-schooled children to attend college.
District 8:
Sen. Leland (Lee) Heinrich, R-Cascade, freshman lawmaker.
Big Story:
The divisiveness caused by the approval of $250 million in GARVEE bonding for highway projects.
Satisfactions:
l A bill creating "Support Our Troops" license plates.
l Increased snowmobile fees to maintain trails.
l Having a seat on the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee.
Disappointments:
l No personal property tax repeal or increased grocery tax credit.
Summer Work:
l Study Idaho's tax structure and look for sales tax exemptions to repeal.
---
Rep. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, House majority caucus chairman.
Big Story:
Two big stories - the fight between the governor and the Legislature over the expansion of the Statehouse and the additional $250 million in GARVEE highway bonding. "That is the first and last time that I will support GARVEE."
Satisfactions:
l Two new nursing buildings at Lewis-Clark State College and Twin Falls.
l The adoption of a comprehensive energy plan.
l The state's positive financial rating for having so much money in reserve accounts, such as $121 million in the budget stabilization fund and $101 million in an education rainy-day account.
l Tying the state's minimum wage to the federal standard.
Disappointments:
l No grocery tax credit or personal property tax cut or repeal.
Summer Work:
l Sit on the interim tax committee and on the interim committee to study biomass energy.
l Push to bring 13 states together to pressure the federal government into turning some federal forests over to state management.
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Rep. Paul Shepherd, R-Riggins, second-term lawmaker.
Big Story:
Creating the Legislative Interim Committee on Forest Receipts, to press for state management of federal timber land.
Satisfactions:
l Making English Idaho's official language and denying public services to non-citizens.
l Requiring doctors to offer ultrasound pictures to women seeking abortions and passing a law requiring parents to give consent for abortions for minors.
l Failure of bill to toughen regulations for elk ranches.
Disappointments:
l Failure to close primaries so only Democrats and independents cannot vote in Republican primaries.
Summer Work:
l Hopes to be on the committee to expand timber harvest on federal lands.
---
Ferguson may be contacted at dferguson@lmtribune.com or at (208) 743-9600, ext. 274.
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