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"My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent". - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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Battling the "Handmaid's Tale" in the Senate and
"Fahrenheit 451" in the House
My patience and everything civil in my body has been tested by the terrible legislation that is being introduced and passed by IDAHO GOP this week. It's difficult to find civility when legislation is pushed through that seeks to eliminate someone's human rights, first amendment rights, access to health care. I even went to a committee room in the House this week to try to comfort people testifying against H675.
Talk about cancel culture. The GOP has a corner on that market in Idaho.
How about we get back to the basics of taxes, business growth, health care, protecting our public lands, infrastructure, roads, AND EDUCATION. My colleagues could use some basic education on first amendment rights and the constitution beyond their fixation on the right to bear arms.....
S1309: Bounties on an on Abortion after 6 Weeks 
We are at a crisis point for reproductive healthcare and rights in Idaho. SB 1309 is part of the aggressive anti-abortion agenda pushed by politicians across the country to ban abortion outright, to interfere in a person’s individual freedom to control their own body. This bill treats women as if they are children and a husband or family member or even the parents of a rapist now controls their choices with threats and bounty systems mandating someone carry a pregnancy to term against their will.
In the past 2 years, the subject of mandates has overwhelmed this state, with fights in our chambers opposing mandates to wear a simple piece of cloth on your face to help prevent the spread of a deadly virus, yet many can cop-opt the language of this movement “our body our choice” and now MANDATE that a person must act as a mere vessel to carry a pregnancy to term against their will.
Our health care, our rights, and our freedom are on the line like never before. People in Idaho should be able to access health care without government interference into our personal, private decisions – my constituents should not have to endure the cruelty this bill will impose.
Click here to read more about the damaging effects of S1309.
- Unfortunately passed the Senate on party lines on 3/3/22.
H666: Arresting Librarians
The House State Affairs Committee advanced a bill last Thursday that could criminalize librarians for “disseminating material harmful to minors." Several parents and concerned residents "named and even brought with them several books that feature LGBTQ+ characters or storylines, arguing those books are obscene. One parent was upset that her daughter encountered a library book that depicted a romance between a prince and a knight who slay a dragon together and are supported by their community."
But Erin Kennedy, librarian who testified used a Bible quote from the Book of Ezekiel to make her point.
“There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like those of horses, so you longed for the lewdness of your youth when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled,” she read. But no one would remove the Bible from the library....
H675: More Attacks on Our Transgender Youth 
*Will update if more changes over the week*!!!
The GOP continues to introduce anti-trans legislation. The new attempt to further harm the transgender community now comes in the form of a ban for gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth. This legislation would make it a felony to provide trans children with gender-affirming medical care. Providers would be barred from giving minors hormones, puberty blockers, or gender-affirming surgeries.
Trans youth already experience significantly high levels of discrimination, isolation, and suicidal ideation. Getting gender-affirming treatment has proven to significantly reduce all of these. The reality is, if this passes, we will lose more of our children.
- Referred to the State Affairs Committee for a hearing.
Read more about this bill by clicking here.
H741: GOP WANTS TO RAISE THE SALES TAX 2%
Wow! They want to raise the sales tax to 8%, the highest in the nation in what they say is an effort to shift the tax burden on sales tax instead of property taxes.
THE EASIEST AND BEST WAY TO REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES is to increase the homeowners exemption and fix the circuit breaker. However, the GOP wants to introduce some complicated 20 page bill to shift tax burdens in a time of great inflation where every Idsaho family trying to make ends meet will take in the teeth.
This bill was introduce by Sen Jim Rice, who is has repeatedly tried to cut local governemnt budgets and alienated county commissioners, firefighters, and police officers last year. He's going to have to run in a primary against Sen Abby Lee due to redistricting. He is grasping for election talking points instead of doing what is right for Idahoans.
More to come on this!
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HEARINGS IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK
S1240 - Racially Restrictive Covenants
This bill allows homeowners to remove racially restrictive covenants that still exist in the chain of title for many Idaho homes in Idaho. It doesn't make up for over a century of housing discrimination, but it acknowledges institutional racism and provides a tool to document that the practice of denying property based on race is null and void.
S1332 - Confidential Communication Protections for Victims
This bill will align state and federal law to legally protect what a victim shares with a domestic or sexual violence program when seeking services and support. That communication is already federally protected, but sometimes abusers or other parties try to subpoena information for custody battles or just to harass victims; this law would protect that communication at the state level, so programs don't have to waste resources fighting lawsuits and subpoenas when they could be spending those resources on helping their clients. Click here to read more about the importance of protecting confidentiality...
- Passed Senate, in House Judiciary & Rules on Monday, March 7.
S1260 - Expanding Access to Prescriptive Contraception
S1260 simply requires health benefit plans that cover prescription contraception to reimburse for a six-month supply, instead of only 3 months. The bill squeaked by and passed the Senate. I was relieved because increasing accessibility to birth control is THE BEST PRACTICE to decrease unplanned pregnancy and abortion.
IN THE SENATE THIS WEEK
S1355 - Transparency, Commercial Transactions
This bill requires lenders to notify consumers that they still owe money on a loan that is secured by a mortgage in a foreclosure. An attorney brought this issue to my attention because many folks aren't aware that the a loan taken against a home mortgage is NOT a part of the foreclosure, which can be a problem when trying to dig out of financial hardship and plan for the future after losing your home. The bill also requires lenders to notify consumers if they sell the note late on to a third party debt buyer who could hold onto the note until maturity, sometimes 10, 15, 20 years later and then out of nowhere, accelerate the loan and collect on interest and the principle. This bill helps to increase transparency for consumers, but may not go far enough. The next step would be to address third party debt buying and shorten the time to take an action to collect instead of allowing a sneak attack many years later when folks may not even be aware they owe debt.
- Passed by Senate Commerce Committee, sent to Senate Floor
HELD IN HOUSE COMMITTEE
S1259 - Property Tax Relief for In Home Caregivers
This legislation would allow someone who is the homeowner of a Certified Family Home to apply for property tax relief through the Property Tax Circuit Breaker (“Circuit Breaker”) program by exempting the payment they receive from the state to care for someone in their home as income counted toward the application for the Property Tax Circuit Breaker.
- This bill is being held in House Rev & Tax by the chair; he said he "doesn't like it." Who doesn't want to help folks caring for people with disabilities in their homes which saves the state millions of dollars? Someone who doesn't know their math or have empathy for hardworking Idahoans.
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Idaho GOP - Enemy of Voting Rights
THE GOP IS A GREATER THREAT TO VOTING INTEGRITY
THAN ANYONE HELPING THEIR GRANDMA DELIVER THEIR BALLOT!
These are campaign bills that echo the Trump lies about widespread voter fraud that has never happened. We already decentralize voting to occur through each County Clerk's office, which is meant to disrupt any centralized attempt to harm voting. Idaho’s elections are secure, and GOP politicians are wasting valuable time and resources trying to solve problems that aren’t there.
HB 692: Identification for voter registration
This new bill makes it harder for folks to vote. College students won't be able to use their student IDs anymore. The GOP also wants to get rid of our long-standing signed voter affidavits to verify a voter’s identity to vote. And Idahoans who register to vote at the polls on Election Day would need to bring certain documents to prove their identity and U.S. citizenship, not just their residence as is the case in current law. GOP IS THE PARTY OF RED TAPE AND BARRIERS TO ACCESS.
- Approved by the House State Affairs, sent to House floor.
HB 693: Prohibit absentee ballot drop boxes
This new legislation would prohibit absentee ballot drop boxes or similar forms of drop-off for elections. This is yet another bill that reduces the options an Idahoan has to make their vote. There is no evidence of voter fraud being an issue in Idaho, this simply creates a solution to a problem that does not exist.
- Approved by House State Affairs, sent to House floor.
HB 439: Unaffiliated voters requirement
An emergency bill that just passed the House on Monday, would require unaffiliated voters to sign up as a party member by March 11 in order to participate in the closed Republican primary. This could shut out more than 310,000 unaffiliated voters, who make up nearly one-third of Idaho registered voters, not to mention those who turn 18 in that time and have yet to affiliate with a party.
- Passed the House, sent to Senate State Affairs
HB 547: Voter Suppression of Elderly and Disabled Voters
The bill criminalizes someone helping someone mail their ballot or take it to the drop boxes, something that many elderly or disabled folks need. We already have very good laws that make it a felony to interfere with voting or access to the ballot.
- Passed the House, sent to Senate State Affairs
More Terrible Bills to Look Out For
HB 658: Privacy for Lethal Injection Corporations
This legislation would protect the privacy of pharmacists, doctors, and other medical workers involved in executions from public disclosure. This is a law that will affect the trust between citizens and their state. I think it's already a problem that the state engages in the death penalty, but at the very least, the process should not be performed in secrecy. Those administering these lethal injections and providing them to the State should be able to be held accountable, if necessary.
- The House passed the bill and it has been referred to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.
1291: Removing Teacher Certification
This bill would allow charter schools to hire teachers who don't have a teacher's certificate. We need to focus on teacher retention rather than hiring folks who don't have sufficient training, especially since this is using public funds.
HB 669: Public Funding for Private Schooling
This legislation would have given families that qualified money for private schooling options. There were various issues with this bill. It would have degraded public schools and it violated the constitution. This was a gateway to privatizing the education system. I am glad to see this bill did not pass.
- To read more about this bill, click here.
SB 1254: Ending Treasure Valley Emissions Testing
The bill removes requirements for emissions testing, which have been in place since 1984 in Ada County and were implemented in Canyon County by the legislature in 2008. The intent of the testing was to respond to violations of federal carbon monoxide standards in Ada County, and the threat of violating ozone pollution standards across the Treasure Valley. While some monitoring reports have shown that the levels are improving, they still exceed 85% of the standard, which triggered the need for emissions testing. It's notable that the reports don't count "exceptional events" like wildfire smoke and inversions.
The bill also removes language establishing a Treasure Valley Air Quality Council, and instead the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) would have to request that the legislature form Regional Air Quality Councils.
The bill relies on the findings from a study that hasn't been completed, noting that "DEQ expect to submit that plan later this year/early 2023." But according to the most recent monitoring report, the Treasure Valley is still above 85% of the federal standard for ozone, and the emissions testing program removes an estimated 278 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can lead to the formation of harmful ozone.
TRUTH IS....
Canyon County Legislators want political soundbites for their elections, to say they got rid of government instead of taking care of air quality.
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People Doing Good Work
It can be easy to get caught up on only the bad, but I wanted to highlight a few legislators putting great bills forward that will create a positive impact.
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Senate Bill 1290: Funding Rural Educators
This bill, sponsored by Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking (on the left) and Rep. Sally Toone (on the right), establishes a rural educator incentive program for educators who work in high-need or rural school districts and charter schools. It would provide the maximum amount of eligible funding, which gradually increases for each year the educator stays in the school. This will help educators in high-need and rural areas with various educational costs.
- Passed the Senate Last Friday.
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House Bill 461: Armed Forces Scholarships
Sponsored by Rep. Chris Mathias (on the left) and Sen. Jim Woodward (on the right) would let children of service members who were killed or permanently disabled in inactive duty training qualify for the state’s Armed Forces scholarship, which provides a full tuition waiver.
- The Legislature passed the bill, which will be sent to the governor’s office.
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HB 620: Prohibiting the Release of Mugshots of Someone Detained During Mental Health Crisis
This bill, sponsored by Rep. Brooke Green, prohibits the release of mug shots if someone is arrested for a misdemeanor (not involving assault or battery) and is detained or hospitalized for mental health reasons within 24 hours of booking. This offers more protection and privacy to those struggling with their mental health.
To learn more about this bill, click here.
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Rally to Protect Our Reproductive Rights!
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I spoke at the Planned Parenthood and Legal Voice rally this week. What a powerful group of people standing up for what they believe in!
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BUY IDAHO DAY IN THE STATEHOUSE
Meet Boise Vertical Farm
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Boise Vertical Farm (BVF) is a second chance employer for those who have struggled with addiction. BVF offers year-round employment in a commercial garden growing greens, microgreens, herbs, culinary mushrooms, and edible flowers. This foundation is phenomenal and I was so happy to them at the capitol on March 3rd!
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Firefighter's Legislator of the Year
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Sen. Grant Burgoyne received Legislator of the Year from our firefighters. So happy to capture this moment!
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On May 10, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the General Mining Act. This law changed Idaho’s industry and landscape for years to come. For the 150th anniversary of the General Mining Act, the Idaho State Historical Society is highlighting Idaho’s mining history in our annual Idaho Day programming!
As a newer member of the Senate I was asked to plan our Idaho Day Celebration in the Senate this year. So to commemorate that history, we had a member from the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government
- Representative Linden Bateman who served 89 terms in the House and was a high school history and government teacher.
- Judge Patricia Young who served as a magistrate judge for 23 years and was nationally recognized for her work in child support and services.
- Governor Phil Batt who served in the Idaho House and Senate; he was Idaho's 35th Lt Governor and 29th Governor. He turned 95 on March 4.
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The Capital High Choir Singers, directed by Joie Cariaga and Marguerite Lawrence, sang original music written by Governor Batt, who is a very talented musician.
They also sang Happy Birthday to celebrate his 95th Birthday.
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District 19 Virtual Town Hall - March
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022 AT 6:00 PM MST
Hear from your District 19 legislators Senator Melissa Wintrow, Representative Lauren Necochea, and Representative Chris Mathias, on how the 2022 legislative session is going. Please email idahod19democrats@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
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28th Annual Frank and Bethine Church Gala
The Frank & Bethine Church Gala is the signature event for the Idaho Democratic Party. Now entering its 28th year, the event gathers hundreds of Democrats from every corner of the state. The event features local and national speakers from the Democratic Party, you’ll have the opportunity to place bids in our silent and live auctions, and you’ll be treated to a gourmet dinner with your choice of three menu options.
Also, the Idaho Democratic Party is making a BIG announcement at the Gala this year. You won’t want to miss it, so don’t forget to reserve your Mystery Pin!
Click the image below to register and get your tickets!
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Local news resources to stay updated on the legislature:
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