Pictured above is the aftermath of a Semi sinking through the road this winter. (Photo credit: Rep. Kauffman)
Money for
roads, repeal of hybrid car surcharge both accelerate in Idaho Legislature
The Idaho Statesman
By Bill Dentzer
February 14, 2017
House and Senate committees approved
four transportation-related measures Tuesday including a modest increase in
money for road and bridge repairs and a repeal of a registration surcharge for
hybrid vehicles adopted in 2015.
The funding bill would divert
roughly $16 million over five years to infrastructure by gradually moving part
of the Idaho State Police budget from state gas tax revenues and into the
state’s general fund. The proposal from sponsor Rep. Joe Palmer, R-Meridian,
moved to the House floor on a 10-7 vote of the Transportation committee, which
Palmer chairs.
Click
Here to read more.
Last year Idaho funded the state suicide prevention hotline. This week Idaho legislators heard reports
from various groups regarding the progress of this suicide prevention program
in our state.
One group
which is cooperating with Idaho’s suicide prevention efforts if the Veterans
Crisis Line.
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/The
Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends
with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a
confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved
ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online,
or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and
hard of hearing individuals is available.
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If the Idaho legislature does not act to improve boat
inspections entering Idaho we will have tremendous problems. There is the
potential to lose many endangered fish and stop all boating on many of our
waterways to stop the spread. This license plate was in Lake Mead for six
months so you can see the potential Damage to Idaho’s infrastructure.
Senator Patrick visiting with leaders and members of the Murtaugh
FFA.
The FFA works to make a positive difference in the lives
of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal
growth, and career success through agricultural education.
Their motto is: Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to
Live, Living to Serve.
Click Here for more information on the Idaho
FFA.
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The Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) visited the Capitol rotunda
this week.
The Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) is the official voice for all
segments of the beef industry in Idaho, from seedstock breeders to commercial
operators to cattle feeders. ICA is the grassroots policy development
organization for Idaho's second-leading agricultural industry--cattle. Through
ICA, cattlemen and women work to create a positive business environment, while
providing consumers with a safe and wholesome product.
Click Here for more
information.
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Rep. Bell and Rep. Kauffman meeting with Andy
Prescott & Laurie Lickley from the Idaho Cattleman Association.
State Budgeting process winding down.
The final day of budget hearings ended on
Thursday. Now, we can begin the actual budget setting for the fiscal year
beginning on July 1. Prior to putting numbers to each budget, we use
several committee meetings to accept the information about revenues, and set
some guidelines on each budget for maintenance of the current operations.
The hard decisions come from the requests for additional money. It
would be an unusual year not to have some unforeseen expense in the way the
state needs to provide services.
As was
noted last week, the winter revenue collections are coming in stronger than was
anticipated. That is always a good sign of more employment opportunities.
Along with the good news, there are new budget requests with the growth in
the state, and systems that have outlived their usefulness. Along with the
regular requests, this winter has been exceptionally concerning for many
who have toured the washed out roads and collapsed buildings in our
communities. I would wonder if the 2 million we put aside for disaster
relief will be adequate aid.
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For
a century, there has been exploration in the state for gas and oil.
This
year the state has requested a new department to help with management of that
activity. It is a large budget item to start, however, as the industry
continues to grow, the revenues will self-fund the department.
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For the
past three years, our corrections population has been flat, the savings used on
public schools. The budget this year will be considerably larger due to
the prisons filling again and the additional use of county jails. I don’t
know the reason, but do know we will do what is necessary to keep our citizens
as safe as possible. The cost of putting a person behind bars runs about
$55.00 each day. The cost of helping that same person return to society
with probation is about $4.00 each day. Interestingly, many of those
parolees provide community service as part of the rehab process by helping with
community events, such as fairs or helping with lost child searches.
A person cannot be taught to hear.
We passed a bill to provide better qualified interpreters for the 13
percent of Idahoans with total hearing loss. The bill took several years
of work to allay the fears of those with hearing loss who use their own family
members. That will still be allowed until a qualified person can be
available when the situation could be a threat to the health and safety of the
individual.
And
a final note on a yearly budget. We still do one to control the number of
wolves in the state. While they no longer need to be monitored, the state has
the opportunity to control the numbers. Idaho has 750 in 105 packs.
Each year, the state harvests about 300. Control is costly, but so is losing
a yearly calf crop.
It
was great to see Laurie Lickley and Andy Prescott serving prime rib in the
Rotunda. The Idaho Cattle Association comes to Boise every year to
provide a great lunch of beef and beans. Many thanks, it was
wonderful.
The business of this week included work on legislation
concerning transportation funding, tax exemptions for Idaho registered Free
Clinics (HB 82) and Volunteers Against Violence.
HB 104 gives an exemption to County Fairs to have exhibition
style dog races with a limited track length has passed the House and I am
waiting for a hearing in the Senate Committee.
I was asked by John Pitz the Twin Falls County Fair Manager to look into
this because Idaho’s law now states “no dog racing in Idaho”. He would like to book some shows for the fair
that have small dog races and if this passes he will be able to book these
shows.
Rep. Kauffman preparing for his interview on "Idaho Reports".
I was on a panel on 'Idaho Reports' talking about the impacts
of the wet weather and the flooding in the Magic Valley. In preparing for the panel I contacted County
and City officials for their assessment of the damage both now and what they
expect in the near future. I also
visited with County and Regional disaster specialists to garner their thoughts.
The flooding will impact area farms with
winter kill of alfalfa and winter grains as well as ruining stored hay and
silage that is flooded. I was advised to
let everyone know to document as much as possible in the event state or federal
disaster money becomes available. There
are strict guidelines to be eligible for these funds and documentation is
critical. The Highway Districts in the Magic Valley have shared
information with me that the current list of road and bridge washouts will be
in the millions and that is before the spring breakup starts.
Here is the link to the 'Idaho Reports' panel discussion.
http://video.idahoptv.org/show/idaho-reports/
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Next week I am scheduled to present a bill to the Resources
Committee dealing with reporting by the Idaho Board of Water Resources. This will require that any change to the
State Water Plan will be reported to all Legislators so the process remains
transparent.
Also next week, I will be presenting a new compromise bill
that will extend the sunset on the Strategic Initiative which uses 50% of
economic growth over 4% to be split 60% to ITD and 40% to local units of
Government for road and bridge repair and maintenance. In the past, local units of government were
left out of the increased money.
Pictured is Rep. Kauffman participating in bow-tie day on Friday in the Idaho House of Representatives. |
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I had the privilege this week to help some constituents work
their way through some rules issues with DEQ.
My experience has been that usually the best path forward is to have
everyone concerned, come together to communicate their thoughts and concerns. As your Representative, this is one of the
most rewarding things I’m involved with.
This week I met with Idaho Cattle Assn., Idaho Title Assn.,
Idaho Soft Drink Assn., Idaho Cattle Women, CSI and other Community Colleges,
Idaho Farm Bureau, Idaho Rural Health Assn., Idaho American Foundation for
Suicide Prevention, Idaho Beer & Wine Distributors Assn., Jackson Jet Center
open house and the Idaho Outfitters & Guides.
Jackson Jet Center open house.
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