Legislative session hits some bumps during week 5

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —The legislative session reached a boiling point this week as we saw one party vote out a member of leadership.

Tensions over the new rules for JFAC have led to conflict by members of the legislature. The first of the state’s maintenance budgets hit the floor of the house.

Maintenance budgets are the minimum a state department needs to run. When they came back, they took a vote to retain the speaker, Mike Moyle from start.

Then later in the day a press release saying Megan Blanksma of Hammett was no longer the house majority leader.

The house returned to business Friday, passing more maintenance budgets. But- it wasn’t without more conflict. Especially over the public school’s budget.

Other work was done in committees and on the house and senate floors.

Senate Bill 1273 was introduced. That’s secretary of state Phil McGrane’s voter guide. He recently talked to KMVT about the possible legislation.

Secretary McGrane says, “Right now our office produces a voter pamphlet. So, we send out in the general election a kind of newspaper print pamphlet with constitutional amendments and initiatives. I’m really pushing to provide candidate information in addition to things. With so many voters who head to the polls they know who they want to vote for president, but they don’t necessarily know who their legislatures are, or their county officials are.”

It was referred to State Affairs.

HB 406, which we’ve been following is one step closer to the governor’s desk. It’s the one that would add an existing law to provide for the crimes in trafficking fentanyl and drug related homicide. It’s reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation and awaits a third reading on the senate floor.

HB 521 was introduced in response to Governor Brad Little’s request to provide one billion dollars to address the condition of school facilities in the state. It’s been referred to Revenue and Taxation.

HB 522 amends expands the definition of cannibalism- something that remains illegal in the state of Idaho- to include providing parts of a human to another without consent. It was printed and referred to State Affairs.

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