A Message from Rep. Melissa Wintrow
The Governor has finally declared that he will hold a Special Session of the 65th Idaho Legislature to consider specific legislation addressing the Coronavirus Pandemic. I'm not fully convinced it is needed especially after the politicization of the virus, the convoluted processes of arriving at a special session, and the overall health and safety concerns about holding it.
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My Thoughts on a Not So Special Session
I voiced my disappointment last week to reporters who asked about my reactions to the Special session...
A special session of the Idaho legislature could have been a valuable tool early on in the coronavirus pandemic. However, the proposed legislation does not address many of the serious challenges that our state is currently facing. Idaho Democrats are talking to voters all over the state and we are hearing that our communities need accessible coronavirus testing with faster results, increased funding to education to keep our children safe, meaningful property tax relief, and the resources to get our economy back on track. The special session will not make our communities any safer and there are no proposals to help employees and businesses make ends meet in an economic crisis, unlike many of the proposals that have been approved through the Governor's Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee. I have led the proposals to support renters with 15 million dollar rental assistance program and to support the Idaho Food Bank with a 2.5 million dollar proposal to assist families in need.
Health experts in Idaho and across the world have made it abundantly clear that large meetings indoors are one of the quickest ways to spread coronavirus. A special session will require legislators and staff from across the state to gather in an indoor space. There will be no mask requirement and there are very few precautions in place to reduce the spread of this highly contagious, deadly virus...
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...
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The Governor's Proclamation: what will be addressed in the special session
There is a lot of confusion about the Special Session tomorrow regarding the depth and breadth of discussions; to be clear, we will only consider three pieces of legislation that are very narrow in scope, involving civil liability immunity and fall elections. These proposals are very specific and won't address most concerns I hear about increasing mail in ballot accessibility in a health crisis.
How We Got Here
Early in the summer, factions of the Republican party became disgruntled that the Governor exercised his statutory and constitutional authority to address the covid pandemic through safety orders and allocating federal funds to assist businesses and citizens in need. The Governor held weekly calls with legislators to keep them informed, but that didn't satisfy many of his party members. So, after a lot of public chastising, the Governor worked with House and Senate GOP majority leaders to support them to create "working groups" to consider issues that were troubling them, like...
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE....
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Idaho Food Bank receives 2.5 million dollars from CARES Act
It was such an honor to join Governor Little, Karen Vauk (director) and Rep Youngblood at the Idaho Food Bank where the Governor announced that CARES Act funding of 2.5 million dollars would support Idaho families in their greatest need. I worked closely with Director Karen Vauk to identify the needs that Idaho families have been facing during this pandemic. We convened many subcommittee meetings to assess the amount of food that was needed to support people right now and where and how to distribute it.
The Idaho Foodbank serves Idaho families, seniors and children who are considered food insecure – meaning that, at times they lack the food they need to live healthy, active lives. This can include those who are living below the federal poverty line and may qualify for assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It also includes individuals who are struggling to make ends meet but do not qualify for assistance programs based on income. In fact, in Idaho, more than 50 percent of people who are food insecure may not qualify for SNAP due to their income level. This finding underscores the importance of protecting and strengthening the safety net of public food assistance while also investing in charitable programs that help to fill the gap for people who don’t qualify.
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Masked up for Safety with Governor Brad Little, Karen Vauk, Rep Rick Youngblood, and me : - )
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Idaho Child Care Grants to Child Care Business Owners
The Idaho Child Care Grant provides child care business owners with a monthly payment to help cover operating costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has begun Round 2 of these grants.
Eligible expenses covered by the monthly grant include:
• Support staffing costs or hazard pay
• Cleaning and janitorial expenses
• Consumable supplies and materials
• General business operations (rent, utilities)
• Transportation costs
This monthly grant is available for licensed and/or ICCP certified child care providers who are open and providing child care.
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Federal Aid for Idahoans
Idaho will be participating in the federal program to supplement unemployment payments. The lost wages initiative will add $300 per week to unemployment checks for five weeks. The federal program only applies to those who would have received $100 or more per week, but the State of Idaho will be providing additional money so that all will receive the extra $300. The Governor says the Department of Labor is prepared for this and implementation will be more straightforward than the previous federal pandemic unemployment assistance program.
Idaho has finally applied for the federal pandemic EBT program which will provide benefits to families who have students eligible for free or reduced school lunches. Families who qualify should soon receive notification from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare via email or mail.
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Rental Assistance Available
REMINDER: the Rental Assistance Program created by the Governor's Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee is accepting applications from citizens in need.
I worked hard on this proposal and have continued to work with stakeholders to be sure the application is accessible and easy to complete. We allocated 15 million dollars through the end of the year to help those impacted by covid. This is definitely one of the biggest accomplishments of my career in the legislature and I was so honored to work with the committee and stakeholders to get this approved.
If you or you know someone who has been impacted by covid and you are struggling to pay the rent, please go to the Idaho Housing and Finance Association Website and apply for rental assistance.
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Study About Clarke Decision: Impacts on Domestic Violence Survivors
Boise State University released a new report on impacts of the State v. Clarke decision, which bans warrantless arrests for any misdemeanor charge unless an officer sees the crime, even if there is probable cause. There were significant implications for arrests on domestic violence calls and many jurisdictions, in particular in the Treasure Valley, created an electronic warrant process where officers could contact an on-call judge to grant a warrant if deemed necessary.
The Clarke The Biennial Report on Victimization & Victim Services is a series of papers on the state of victimization, response to victimization, impacts of crime on victims, and victim services in Idaho. The project is funded by the Idaho Council on DV & Victim Assistance.
Of the recommendations: Centering victims and their needs AND collaboration between community partners, victims services, and law enforcement will provide more effective service for victims. This study brings to the surface once again that the greatest needs victims have are for financial assistance, child care, counseling, legal services, etc.
The court decision has created some challenges, but together we can overcome those challenges and work together to protect people who are being harmed.
As Dr. Lisa Bostaph (researcher) notes, "One of the recommendations researchers had, to help combat this problem, was increased communication between police and victim services groups.
“Agencies really need to be working together,” she said. “It is not the time for agencies to be siloed.”
Annie Pelletier Hightower, the director of law and policy at the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, echoed Growette Bostaph, and said cross collaboration between law enforcement and advocacy agencies is an important step in better serving victims of abuse."
Click Here to Read the Boise State Report
Click Here to Read the Idaho Press Story
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Scouting Stars from District 19 Honored
Celebrated annually, the Treasure Valley Scouting Stars event serves as a unique opportunity to honor Girl Scouts for their achievements and gather the region’s civic and business leaders, patrons, and volunteers in support of distinguished leadership and innovation.
Please join me in honoring the leaders from District 19 for their outstanding service and hard work!
Claire Hirsch
For their Bronze Award, Claire’s troop collected supplies to furnish a room at City Light Women's and Children's Center. Her troop’s Silver Award addressed the need to bring their whole Service Unit together to celebrate more Girl Scout activities. Claire has also earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award at the Bronze level for completing 50 hours of community volunteer service during 2018-2019.
“I believe that the most important thing I have learned from being a Girl Scout is how strong women are. Being a Girl Scout has given me many opportunities to meet inspiring women who have carved their own path and done incredible things for their communities and the world.”
Claire is an accomplished ballerina who has performed in numerous Ballet Idaho productions. Her dream job would be a professional dancer.
Emma Combs
For her troop’s Silver Award, Emma made a presentation showing other troops in the community how to plan and host a Service Unit Event. They went a step further and helped some troops host the events as well. Emma earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award at the Bronze level for completing 50 hours of community volunteer service during 2018-2019.
“The most important thing I learned through Girl Scouting is the significance of teamwork and cooperation. Being in a group of girls who all have different ideas, personalities and strengths has taught me important lessons about working with others towards common goals.”
Emma enjoys soccer and volleyball and plays for Club Idaho Volleyball.
Kendra Cahill
For her Silver award, her troop put together a “How to Guide” describing how to put on a Service Unit event. She volunteered 50 hours at the Idaho Food Bank, Treasure Valley YMCA, Ronald McDonald House, & Rake Up Boise to earn the Presidential Volunteer Service Award at the Bronze level.
“The best piece of advice I have received is that you should always speak up no matter who it’s to or where you are. If you have something to say, say it. I feel like a better person because of Girl Scouts and I don’t think I would be the same person that I am today.”
Kendra plays volleyball for Club Idaho and plays co-ed soccer for Rush Soccer.
Martha Bishop
For her troop’s Silver award, Martha used creative storytelling to get other troops excited about doing Service Unit events. She earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Award at the Bronze level by volunteering 50 hours at the Idaho Food Bank, Treasure Valley YMCA, Ronald McDonald House, and Ballet Idaho.
“Since starting at an early age, being a Girl Scout has shaped my life immensely. I have obtained many values from being a Girl Scout. By setting goals for cookies, I have been able to set obtainable goals in my everyday life. I love being a Girl Scout and giving back to my community.”
Martha’s favorite hobby is dance, and she has performed in Ballet Idaho’s The Nutcracker. Martha also enjoys music and plays the violin.
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Konie enjoying the Idaho backcountry for a much needed vacation. We are so blessed to have such beautiful landscapes to share. Let's keep our pubic lands accessible for all!
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