Support the Good Bills:
SB1252 – This is the Defend the Guard Act legislation sweeping the nation. On Monday it passed the Senate floor 27-8 and is headed over to the house.
This legislation states “the Idaho national guard and any member thereof shall not be released from the state into active duty combat unless the United States congress has passed an official declaration of war” also “Nothing in this section limits or prohibits the governor from consenting to the deployment of any Idaho national guard member… civil authority missions within the United States”
This would enable the Governor to deploy national guard members for missions (ie. border security) but prevent Congress from sending them abroad without a formal declaration of war (which was last initiated on June 5, 1942).
HB602- This bill is refusing taxpayer funds to Teachers Unions. It was presented Monday in House State Affairs committee, passed 10-3, and is headed to the House floor.
Within the statement of purpose of the bill it says “This legislation would prohibit public officials from allowing public funds, personnel, facilities, and other resources from being used to support teachers unions. Specifically, it would prohibit public officials from: Contributing public funds to, or expending those funds on behalf of, a teachers union” among other financial items related to the teachers union.
This would mean that your tax dollars would not go toward teachers unions and there are protections embedded into it for teachers against the teachers union.
HB615- This bill reduces the benefits the state provides to illegal aliens within Idaho. This bill was introduced last Wednesday and died in the House Health & Welfare committee in a 7-5 vote. It has been drawered in that committee.
It is a strike out bill of specific items in Idaho code 67-7903. It leaves emergency services for illegal aliens, but removes vaccinations, testing, soup kitchens, crisis counseling, prenatal care, postnatal care, food assistance for children, and certain shelters.
Proponents believe this bill will reduce incentivizing illegal aliens in coming to Idaho. Tax payer dollars currently go to benefit these welfare programs, and this would lessen the burden. This bill would need to be pulled out of the House Health & Welfare committee drawer to be heard again.
Fight the Bad Bills:
HB653- This is a repurposed version of SB1245 from February 13th that died on the Senate floor in a 15-19 vote on February 15th. It is regarding pesticide labeling and that the warnings are adequate to prevent the manufacturing company from injury or damage liability.
It will add a new (duplicate verbiage) section to Chapter 34, Title 22 & Chapter 6, Title 48 of Idaho code stating that “there was an adequate warning regarding health or safety and any relevant provision or doctrine of state law…”
This bill is providing pesticide manufacturers legal immunity from damage their products caused based on adequate warning labels. Opponents of this bill note that the beneficiaries of donations from these manufacturers are the ones aggressively pushing it; as it has now been attempted twice (once in each chamber).
HB683- This bill heads to House Education Committee to be heard on Tuesday. It is creating a brand new agency: Office of Early Childhood (with a director appointed by the Governor).
The first year would cost $750,000 to establish this new agency and according to the bill the agency duties would entail: “Oversight of the following early childhood services… Statutory authorities previously provided to the department of health and welfare pursuant to chapters 11 and 12, title 39, Idaho Code… Leading statewide efforts to improve early childhood services and strengthen the mixed delivery system… Collaboration and coordination with other child-serving agencies, including but not limited to the department of health and welfare/state board of education/state agencies/early childhood advisory council…” other collaborations include tribal governments, service providers, families, etc.
Establishing a new agency has some opponents skeptical, as per Article IV section 20 in the state constitution states “…shall be allocated by law among and within not more than twenty departments by no later than January 1, 1975”, and this number has already been greatly exceeded. Other opponents are skeptical about government overreach in child welfare determinations. The cost is also an issue to opponents.
If you want to email specific committees, or the entire House about any/all of these pieces of legislation you can use https://www.emailidaho.com
