[Vision2020] Legislative Update XI from Rep. Trail

[ttrail at moscow.com]

We will be winding up legislative activities on Wednesday the 30th unless 
there are some last minute problems.

1.  Palouse Aquifer Study.Update -- $450,000 was approved by JFAC in 
Appropriations for the Palouse Aquifer Study.  The District 6 Legislative 
delegation has been working closely with local Latah County 
commissioners, the Governor's Office, and others to move this request 
forward.  We still have to get it through the legislative process this 
next week.  The monies will be in attached to the Dept. of Water 
Resources budget, and the Department will provide oversight.  Karl 
Dreyer, Dept. Director, looks forward to working with the Latah County 
Commissioners, PBAC, and other stakeholder groups.  The major emphasis 
will be on putting in deep wells so that we can better monitor the 
aquifer.  This will provide us with much more accurate data that can be 
used in making decisions concerning both short and long term use of the 
aquifer.

This is the official communication concerning funding for the Palouse 
Aquifer from Karl Dreyer, Director of the Water Resources Department:

“Commissioner Kimmell  --

	As you know from Senator Keough, this morning the Joint Finance & 
Appropriations Committee approved an appropriation to the Department of 
Water Resources that includes $450,000 for Palouse Basin ground water 
investigations/projects.  I want to confirm my agreement with and support 
for JFAC's action, which allows the Department, local elected officials, 
and PBAC to work together to prioritize and refine the scope of funded 
activities that will result in the greatest benefit possible towards 
addressing the ground water issues in your area.  I look forward to 
working with you and others in bringing resolution to these issues.  
Assuming this morning's appropriation passes the full House and Senate, 
funding will not be available until July 1.  However, as soon as possible 
after the appropriation passes and is signed by the Governor, we need to 
initiate coordination and planning efforts so that the funds can be 
committed and work can be started.”


2.  K-12 School Budget  --  The public school budget targeted at $987 
million was passed by the Senate and House by a large margin.  JFAC is 
working on the salary issue for teachers today.   Co-Chairs Bell and 
Cameron have said that there probably will be no salary increases.  This 
is a sad state of affairs with almost no salary increases for teachers 
and staff for the past four years.  This is the same case for state 
employees.

3.  Water Issues  --  Governor Kempthorne has signed the Nez Perce or 
Snake River Basin Adjudication Legislation.  The tribe now needs to sign 
off on it before March 31st.  Three other major water bills are now being 
sent to the floor of the House.

a.  HB372  -  This would require mandatory membership in ground water 
districts for all groundwater users except owners of domestic and stock 
wells.

b.  HB373  -  This would help fund water rights acquisition and 
mitigation through bonds repaid by water users.

c.  HB374  -  This would provide for collection of special annual 
assessments from both ground and surface water users.  The fees would pay 
for abound $1.2 million in assessments and studies about how the aquifer 
interacts with water users and surface water.

Proposed funding of about $475,000 to drill deep wells and monitoring 
devices to study the Palouse Aquifer is part of proposed legislation.  
District legislators will be closely looking at the progress of the 
legislation to ensure that we receive the needed funding.

4.  Cigarette Tax Extension  --  legislation is being proposed to extend 
the cigarette tax for two years.  This raises about $20 million/year.  
The Speaker is proposing that the money be used to help fund the solution 
for some of South Idaho's water problems and then be used to pay for the 
repairs and renovation of the Statehouse.  Earlier in the session the 
Governor proposed to make the tax permanent and go into the Permanent 
Building Fund.  It think this is a good idea.

5.   Meth Legislation  --  The Senate gutted a House bill which would 
have restricted the sale of drugs that contained ingredients that could 
be used to make meth.  The House wanted to require that the medicine only 
be sold by pharmacists and that buyers show photo ID and that the buyers 
sign a log for their purchase.  The Senate amendments make it so that 
medicine's sales aren't restricted.  There is a good chance that the 
legislation will die in the last days of the legislature or be so watered 
down as to have no affect on the meth situation.

6.  License Plates  --  On a 22-11 vote the Senate rejected a House 
proposal attempting to end the growing number of specialty license 
plates.  Idaho now has 54 kinds of specialty license plates.  Florida has 
over 132 and the most popular raised $32 million to save the Florida 
manatees.

7.  Developers Taxing District Bill  --  This bill passed the House on a 
33-31 vote.  The bill would let developers create new taxing districts to 
pay for roads, parks, and other infrastructure associated with new 
developments.  Rep. Henderson from Hayden Lake pointed out that Kootenai 
County and cities within the County have passed ordiances which have done 
the same thing for the past 20 years.

8.  Teacher and state employee salaries  --  Friday afternoon JFAC 
approved a one percent salary increase based on the surplus eliminator.  
This means if tax receipts are $124 million ahead of projections on July 
1st then the increase kicks in.   If it doesn't then there is no salary 
increase  --  a roll of the dice and dependent on continued economic 
upturn.


I'll send out a final newsletter next week.  Please contact me at my home 
e mail of ttrail at moscow.com.

Rep. Tom Trail


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