LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP
A few of these bills you have already heard about from us, if you would like a bit more information on these you can click here to read our past newsletter's legislative roundups.
Passed in the House, Possibly Stalled in the Senate?
Email Patti Anne Lodge and ask her to hold House bills that are harming Idahoans: PALodge@senate.idaho.gov
There have been very harmful bills introduced and passed by the House in the past couple of weeks. Recently, leaders of the Senate made a statement about the House antics, so we'll see if bills that should not see the light of day, stay in the drawer. Send Sen Lodge am email or call her to thank her for sitting on bills that take away access to the ballot and those that attack our very freedoms and independence.
H666: Arresting Librarians: still in Senate State Affairs 
This bill would allow the state to criminalize librarians for "disseminating material harmful to minors". This extremely vague and harmful legislation is simply an effort to further shelter our children from real-world topics and education.
H675: More Attacks on Our Transgender Youth: Still in Senate State Affairs
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. To make matters worse, it also would allow the state to impose criminal charges on parents trying to move out of the state to be able to provide this care.
Read more about this bill by clicking here.
H741: 2% SALES TAX INCREASE COURTESY OF THE GOP MAY STALL...
This would 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. This legislation has been met with a lot of questions and concerns by legislators. Luckily, this bill may be stalled in committee.
SB1373: Optional All-day Kindergarten passed the Senate
This legislation gives school districts the option to use state literacy intervention funding for optional full-day kindergarten classes. It also introduces a new funding formula that rewards schools based on achievement. I'm disappointed that the legislature would not simply fund full day kindergarten without strings attached that could have the potential to punish students that need the most help and don't progress as quickly. Sen Thayne and other conservatives continue to resist funding full day kindergarten when most Idahoans want and need this. I voted in favor of this bill because it's a start, but it falls well below my expectations and is one more way to drag their feet on helping students
HB 658: Lethal Injections - held in committee, but GOP trying to revive it
I voted against this bill because it lacks transparency and does not allow the public nor defense attorneys of the condemned access to information about execution drugs being used to kill someone on death row. Regardless how one feels about the death penalty, if the state's will is to execute someone, it should be done in an aboveboard way so the public can scrutinize it. There are examples of many botched executions all over the country due to secrecy and lack of accountability. The bill was held in committee on a 4-4 tie vote, but it appeared back on the committee agenda on Friday. It appears that GOP leadership wants to try to vote on it again. I question the validity in the rules to do this, so I will check into that before committee. Transparency in the death penalty process is vital to assure no wrong-doings by the state.
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