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The legislative session has come to an end - both the House and the Senate have adjourned for the the year. You can access a complete account of this session by clicking here.
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March 22, 2016
You know it is time to end the session when the trees are in full bloom!
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Tar Wars is a Tabaco-free
education program for kids from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Legislators,
students, parents and community members viewed the Tar Wars poster contest
display located on the fourth floor of the Capitol building.
Click Here for more
information.
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March 8, 2016
Representative Kauffman greets students from the Popplewell
Elementary Honor Choir (Buhl, Idaho) as they perform in the rotunda of the
Idaho Capitol.
Steps for Schools.
Blue Cross of
Idaho hosted a lunch and awards ceremony for the winners of the Steps for
Schools Contest that concluded the end of February. Legislators
participating walked over 12 million steps in the month of February. I
averaged over 10,000 steps a day and was awarded $350 for one of the elementary
schools in District 25. We will have a drawing to see which school gets
the money.
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Rep. Maxine Bell and
Rep. Clark Kauffman drawing the winning school which will receive the $350 that
was awarded to legislative District 25 during the Steps for Schools
contest. Hanson School District was the drawing winner.
Breakfast
with some great 4-H young folks participating in Know Your Government
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February 24, 2016
Leaders and
participants from the Magic Valley Boys and Girls club visited this week.
Pictured are Lindsey Westberg, Senator Patrick, Cassidy Littleton and Dani
Hansing
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February 12, 2016
Chairman Maxine Bell in the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee room.
The two beautiful ladies with me are Emily and
Christi both are my right and left hands in the office. Could not do without
their assistance and friendship.
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February 26, 2016
Rep. Kauffman and Rep. Bell meeting with home
schooled students and parents from Kimberly, Twin Falls, Buhl and Richfield.
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March 4, 2016
The Idaho Day
celebration in the House of Representatives included Students from the
Foothills School of Arts & Science, the Honor Guard from Mountain Home Air
Force Base, the members of the Idaho House of Representatives and four Idaho
Governors.
(Gov. Cecil
Andrus, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, Gov. Jim Risch and Gov. Butch Otter. Rep.
Gayle Batt delivered comments in behalf of Gov. Phil Batt.)
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Turkish Day
at the Capitol
Young children share their traditional dance and culture
with Rep. Bell and Rep. Kauffman.
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Senator Jim Patrick received the Apple Award from the School Choice
Coalition because of his strong support for choice in Idaho’s educational
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Pie Day at the Capitol
A
very nice break in this week was the annual visit by the state’s home schooled
students. They had great displays, provided beautiful music, and served
the best home-made pie in Idaho.
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I enjoy so much visiting with these wonderful students and learning
about their hobbies and interests. |
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Rep. Clark Kauffman with students during Pie Day. |
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March 1,
2016
President Lincoln
greeting the sunrise.
Photo credit: Rep.
Clark Kauffman
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Invent Idaho Day
at the Capitol.
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Durga Rajarajan shows Rep. Clark Kauffman her Tornado Catcher invention
at the “Invent Idaho Day” at the Capitol.
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Rep. Maxine Bell was recognized at the unveiling of the "Women in
Idaho" exhibit. |
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March 24, 2016
This is probably the last day of
this session and I believe it has been generally productive. The last two days
are always frustrating but we work through it.
We did fund education at a much
higher level and will continue down this path. I worked on career advisors for
8th through 12th grade students. The traditional counselors do not have enough
time to advise in the same manner. Peers, teachers and others can help these
young people see what is available and maybe the proper classes and incentives
to improve their GPA.
My commerce committee was
extremely busy with over 50 bills of which most made it to the Governor’s desk.
Being chairman has been exciting as well as a lot of extra work. We did hear Banking,
Insurance, Retirement, Workman’s Comp bills as well as many from the Bureau of
Safety Commission. I was also appointed
as a legislative advisor to the Industrial Commission dealing with workman’s
comp.
I am also a member of the Agriculture
Committee. We dealt with animal abuse asking for a psychological evaluations of
people who abuse animals.
We did fail in getting
Agriculture Education funded at the level we passed into legislation two years
ago with high standards set for the schools to qualify for working funds for
the kids. I also have great concerns that we are not doing enough to keep our
waterways clear of the devastating Quadra and Zebra mussels. There is talk
about closing some waterways to boating to protect water users. I will be following this issue closely and
let you know of any updates.
Sincerely, Senator Jim Patrick
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