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Thousands of Idaho citizens from across the state decided it was time to get involved with the decision making process in our government. Over 50 county petitions with a minimum of 25 signatures each (many contained more) requested public hearings with agency bureaucrats to negotiate proposed new rules and to challenge some of the existing rules, regulations and fees. Some of the top executive branch managed agencies that are being required to meet with citizens and the areas of concern include:
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Idaho State Board of Education and the Idaho Department of Education (ISBOE&ISDE)- concerning their common core agenda (petitions from 11 counties)
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Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) - concerning child immunizations, child protection assessments, the allowing of birth certificates to be changed if someone decides their gender has changed. (Petitions from 22 counties on gender birth certificates and 9 counties on vaccinations/CPS)
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Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) -stream channel alterations and the state water plan. (Petitions from 5 counties)
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The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) – Forest management practices. (petitions from 5 counties)
The purpose of this newsletter is to share information on the public hearings that have been scheduled for Idaho administrative rules as a result of requests from citizens across the state.
Although the departments did not schedule hearings in each county that requested one, they did schedule numerous ones which are listed below. The information on when and where the hearings will be held is listed below. All scheduled hearings can be found HERE: schedule for all public hearings.
As a reminder, at the close of the 2019 legislative session, the bill to approve ALL Idaho Administrative Code was not approved by both chambers - effectively causing the entire administrative code (8000+ pages) to expire on July 1, 2019. Many of the administrative rules were recently reauthorized as temporary rules by the governor, in order to keep government functioning until the 2020 legislature re-convenes. All of these re-authorized temporary rules are required by Idaho code to seek public negotiations and comments and allow for the calling of public hearings. Locations where at least twenty-five people signed a petition to request a public hearing triggered the executive branch managed agency to hold a required public hearing.
COMMON CORE (Re-named Idaho Core)
The Department of Education did not schedule public hearings in each county where petitions were received. If you have questions or concerns as to why the agency decided to not come to your county, please contact the agency director’s office at 208-332-1582 (State Board of Education) or 208-332-6800 (Superintendent of Public Instruction) and voice your concerns.
If you cannot attend the public hearing closest to you, please send in your comments by email to tracie.bent@osbe.idaho.gov and sybarra@sde.idaho.gov. Don’t forget to CC your elected legislators.
Immunizations of children, procedures and testing to be performed on newborn infants, Immunization requirements for Idaho school children, Medicaid Basic Plan Benefits, CPS Child Protection Safety and Comprehensive Assessments, Required Consent for Medical Treatment.
 The Health and Welfare Department did not schedule public hearings in each county where petitions were received. If you have questions or are concerned as to why the agency decided to not come to your county, we encourage you to contact the agency director, 208-334-5500.
If you cannot make the public hearing, please send in your comments by email to Tamara Prisock at dhwrules@dhw.idaho.gov no later than August 28, 2019. Don’t forget to CC your elected legislators.
Comprehensive State Water Plan Rules and Stream Channel Alterations Rules
 The Department of Water Resources did not schedule public hearings in each county where petitions were received. If you have questions or concerns as to why the agency decided to not come to your county, please contact the agency director’s office at 208-287-4800.
If you cannot attend the public hearing closest to you, please send in your comments by email to Rosemary DeMond at rosemary.demond@idwr.idaho.gov. Don’t forget to CC your elected legislators.
Idaho Department of Lands public hearings are over and currently there are none scheduled.
Changing gender on certificates of live birth.
 Although 22 counties signed petitions requesting hearings on this issue, the Health and Welfare Department did not schedule public hearings in each county where petitions were received. If you have questions or are concerned as to why the agency decided to not come to your county, we encourage you to contact the agency director, 208-334-5500.
If you cannot make the public hearing, comments will be taken until the closing date on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 by sending your comments via email to dhwrules@dhw.idaho.gov. Don’t forget to CC your elected legislators.
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Thank you for continuing to be engaged and educated. It is your actions and efforts that will make a difference and keep Idaho the great state it is.
In Liberty,
Rep. Heather Scott
208-920-3120
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