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BREAKING THROUGH THE FOG
WEEK 3
In week 3 the legislature has introduced twice as many bills as we did the first 3 weeks last year and the year before.
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PROGRESS FOR MY LEGISLATION!
FULL HEARINGS SCHEDULED
Expanding Access to Contraception
Thursday, February 1
1:30pm
West Wing Room 54
- S1234 allows someone to access up to 6 months of their prescription contraception instead of being limited to 3 months, as most health insurers currently do. Increased access to contraception increases adherence which increases effectiveness.
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Dignified Care for Idahoans w/Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias
With bipartisan support from the entire Senate Health and Welfare Committee, S1247 was printed and awaits scheduling for a full hearing.
I'm spearheading a bill, in collaboration with medical experts, law enforcement, and caregiving organizations, to establish a protective framework for people with ADRD.
What is it? S1247 provides a legal and compassionate pathway to take someone with a major neurocognitive disorder in an acute crisis, and a danger to themselves or others, to a hospital emergency room for a medical assessment to determine if an undiagnosed medical reason is the cause of the acute crisis.
Who benefits? Individuals with ADRD in serious crisis and their caregivers.
Why a protective placement? To address reversible medical conditions triggering behavioral emergencies.
This bill doesn't solve the whole problem, but it's a start to help people with an undiagnosed medical condition that may be escalating and creating serious problems. If we can get someone in front of a doctor, instead of going to jail or a mental health hold, we may be able to find a medical reason for the problem and find ways to stabilize and tp return home safely. We are committed to continue to find caregiver supports and long term solutions for people as the disease progresses. More to come!
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PLAYING GAMES
IDAHO'S BUDGET & TAX DOLLARS
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee, our very powerful budget committee, continues to be surrounded by a fog of politics and posturing.
After operating with efficiency and effectiveness for decades, you have to ask ...
WHY CHANGE THE RULES, TRADITIONS, AND THE PROCESS?
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Tradition and precedent have been thrown by the wayside. The decision to make this drastic change in our budgeting process was rushed and not sufficiently vetted. As explained by Clark Corbin at the Idaho Capital Sun, “The budget-setting committee essentially took a similar version of last year’s budget, which took nearly 80 days to set, and passed it in a single day this year.”
I was a member of JFAC for four years; reviewing budgets requires time to thoughtfully research and investigate the needs of the agency and how they will help Idahoans. To pass skeletal plans without the whole picture can lead to costly errors.
Unfortunately, JFAC passed a skeletal budget for next year that will only be enough for some of the most basic needs of our state agencies, public schools and public universities. The skeletal budgets leave critical initiatives unfunded such as the LAUNCH scholarships for in-demand job training, interventions for the dangerous quagga mussels threatening our water, and upgrades to bridges that pose a safety risk.
Next steps for these skeletons -- See if you can add some flesh back on the bones.
Each chamber will have to pass (or fail) these massive budgets from last week AND THEN the committee will have to "re-open" each agency budgets with a required 2/3 majority vote to add essential services and programs back in. There are no guarantees, and this process creates an opportunity for more political fights over essential services like Medicaid. And power gets placed into the hands of a few who can manufacture space in the budget to fund their personal agenda items like school voucher schemes and more income tax breaks.
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IDAHO'S FORCED PREGNANCY ACT
and MORE VIOLATIONS OF PERSONAL FREEDOMS
S1229 - Dan Foreman, Republican from D6, filed a personal bill to allow government-forced pregnancy of rape and incest survivors. This is the same bill Scott Herndon printed last year on MLK day, characterizing forced pregnancy of rape survivors as an "opportunity."
A personal bill will not get a hearing, but this bill fits into a larger ideological agenda that would institutionalize "traditional" definitions and practices of gender and family, and in this case, treating a woman's body as nothing more than a vessel, denying her rights to control her body and her own destiny. These kind of bills, shrouded in a "pro life" stance deny the life and autonomy of a grown woman and her right to self-determination - autonomy that is seen as threat to some specific "way of life."
The Idaho Freedom Foundation, a.k.a, the Idaho Forced Fertility foundation has often lamented that "social justice education poses a threat to education in America and to the American way of life." What is their definition of the American "way of life?" One that doesn't include people who are gay or trans, that's for sure. The IFF and their cronies have taken over the Republican party using scare tactics and threats to keep people in line; they support policies like Julianne Young's bills to put a straight-jacket on what it means to be a family in America by redefining gender and sex in hopes to erase access to public spaces by the LGBTQ+ community.
Last year, S1100 (the infamous bathroom bill), which is stuck in court on constitutional challenges, denies access to public bathrooms based on sex and gender identity. H71, another law passed and stuck in court, denied gender affirming care for minors even with their parent's consent. H500 in 2020 was blocked last fall by an appeals court and denied Idaho from blocking transgender athletes in women's sport. H509 in 2020 was passed into law, but violated federal law and the equal protection clause of the constitution by placing barriers to change your gender marker on your birth certificate. Four bills to deny the freedoms of individuals to be who they are and all four bills landed in court, costing Idaho taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
But wait, there's more! This past week, a motion was passed in Health and Welfare to accept all the proposed rules of social workers EXCEPT for the update to their ethics statement which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
HB400 (Redefining Fetus) was fortunately held in committee after an embarrassing lesson to an ill-informed committee on reproduction, by a self-described "pro-life" in vitro fertilization doctor. Jaws dropped on the desks as she described basic physiology about fertilization and implantation of an egg in the uterus. This bill would replace the term 'fetus' or 'fetus and embryo' with the term 'preborn child' or 'child'. How about I run a bill in the Agriculture committee to change the word seed to pre-fertilized plant?
HB421 (Redefining Sex), in another effort to rewrite the dictionary, would redefine sex and gender. Not only are the newly proposed definitions of sex and gender way out of step with common understanding, the bill would also redefine mother and father to only apply to traditional family structures. As you could imagine this is an incredible slap in the face of single parents, widows, and non-traditional families.
Last week I filed a personal bill to add protections against discrimination of people in the LGBTQ community, but it's clear with just a few bills here why we can't get a hearing for Add the Words; the GOP is too busy erasing them all. But you can't erase people! I will never stop fighting for human rights and dignity for all people.
OTHER BILLS IN THE NEWS
H415 (Guns in Schools) would allow school employees the right to carry guns in school, creating their own armed guards. I strongly disagree with the bill sponsor who said, "you have to meet violence with violence." No. What we need to do is address safe use and storage of firearms and increase social work and mental health supports for our kids while funding programs that build social emotional intelligence and a sense of belonging.
S1220 (Redefining Domestic Terrorism) passed the Senate with only 8 no votes. I debated against this bill because it guts a law that was passed in 1987 in response to the Aryan Nation terrorist bombing of Rev Bill Wassmuth's home in northern Idaho after he confronted and pushed back on their racism. This new law redefines domestic terrorism as something that has to be tied to a foreign government, which doesn't make sense to me. Therefore, terrorists that are US citizens cannot be charged with such a crime. Groups like the Aryan nation would no longer be charged with the crime that got the law on the books in the first place. In the rise of extremism and white supremacy in our state and country, this is a mistake. The legislators in 1987 wanted to send a message to racist, terrorist groups -- you are NOT welcome here!
H406 (Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Fentanyl) is up for a vote in the House on Monday. There has been a long debate in the legislature about mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes, because the law takes discretion away from judges to consider the case as a whole. It is a problematic approach; we trust judges with their discretion on other cases, but why not this one? The law also defines trafficking of drugs based on amounts instead of linking that with intent, so it's more likely with such a wide net that you will imprison addicts instead of the kingpin dealers. They will vote on the bill on Tuesday.
HB419 (Repeal Medicaid/Strings Attached) adds several requirements to state code for Medicaid expansion in order to keep the program in place including work requirements, population caps, and denying the use of Medicaid funds to pay for any gender affirming care for adults or minors. The people of Idaho passed Medicaid Expansion by 62% vote, but the majority party continues to fight against the majority of Idahoans and what they want -- an unfortunate but familiar theme.
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IDAHO'S EMERGENCY SERVICES ON LIFE SUPPORT
Idaho's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system is nearing a crisis point. Just like police and fire response, EMS provides lifesaving services that we all rely on. EMS providers from all over the state shared their concerns with the legislature this week. Without a more predictable and steady funding structure, we could all face greater uncertainty in a life or death emergency.
Problem #1: EMS is not designated in statute as an essential service, which leaves a gap in guaranteed access to these critical services for all Idahoans.
Problem #2: The lack of sufficient and stable funding impacts emergency response. An ambulance without all the medicine and equipment is almost $300,000. and supplies like
Problem #3: Workforce shortages impact response. Only 18% of EMS directors across the state reported being able to maintain sufficient staff, with Chief Shawn Rayne of Ada County Paramedics highlighting a severe shortage, at one point having 12 vacant positions and only one applicant.
I support our EMS personnel and will advocate for statute changes and funding models that are stable and effective. Our lives in an emergency depend on it.
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District 19 Town Halls
Representatives Nechochea, Mathias, and I strive to be responsive to our constituents through the Legislative Session. To that end, we have again scheduled town halls throughout the district this year. Please join us for one (or more) of these gatherings.
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RSVP | Monday, January 29th, 6-7PM, Adams Elementary School
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RSVP | Tuesday, February 13th, 6-7PM, Hidden Springs Elementary School
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RSVP | Wednesday, March 13th, 6-7PM, Lincoln Auditorium - Idaho State Capitol
I hope to see you soon and thank you for the honor of serving District 19.
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Senator Megan Egbert filled in for Sen Semmelroth this week. We first met 20 years ago when I was teaching a Women's Studies class!
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Julissa dropped by for a visit on my Birthday! She started as a page in the Senate a couple of years ago and is now a Planned Parenthood field organizer!
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University of Idaho Students visit the Statehouse. Go Vandals!
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Meet my extraordinary Chief of Staff, Erin! She keeps me sane in the Statehouse.
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Local news resources to stay updated on the legislature:
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