[Vision2020] The "almost" legislative wrap-up

[ttrail at moscow.com]

Constituents:

We are now in the 107th day of the second longest Idaho Legislative
Session in history.  The end game is always full of political gamesmanship
such as holding certain bills at the desk to force the other side to make
concessions.  It is sort of like political monopoly.

The rumors are that the House will Sine Die either Wednesday or Thursday. 
 In that case the Senate will probably keep working on, and then the
Governor will call us back again probably the following week to wind
things up--all at the added cost of more taxpayer money paying for the
gamesmanship. I did hear a commentator report that the cost of the Idaho
Legislature is about one tenth of one percent of the total state budget,
and that Idaho ranked 2nd in spending less money on the legislative
process than any other state.   Too bad we can't say that for our ranking
in support of highways, public education and higher education.

We may actually get a few bills passed to help on the highway front.  
There is a good possibility that the $18 million from the ethanol
exemption will pass and that we may pass a $14 million bill to assist the
Division of Motor Vehicles to cover deficit licensing problems.   The odds
are very small at passing a gas tax, and the idea floated of using General
Fund money for transportation has not been a popular concept.

SB1112--Child Care will probably pass.   The bill has been greatly amended
but it is a step forward. Once all the smoke clears I'll get a wrap up
Legislative Report out to you.

Representative Tom Trail