Capitol Letters: When will the Idaho Legislature adjourn?

By Ryan Suppe, State Politics Reporter; and Hayat Norimine, Accountability Editor

Today is the target “sine die” adjournment date Republican leaders set weeks ago.

But lawmakers “definitely aren’t wrapping up” this week, and have more budget work to do, Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, told the Idaho Statesman yesterday.

“Hopefully we can finish up our main work on Tuesday,” Winder said.

Among the outstanding budgets is Medicaid, which is on its third iteration after failing to pass the House. Winder said he doesn’t know of any others in danger of rebuff.

Even after all appropriation work is done, that might not be enough for this year’s session.

Winder said there may be a five-day recess — unpaid for lawmakers, Winder noted — to await a potential veto from the governor. That way, the Legislature could reconvene to vote on a veto override before officially adjourning.

Idaho agency asks court to stop AG investigation

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare officials have petitioned a court to stop the Idaho attorney general’s investigation into child care grants, sparking a rare, if not unprecedented, conflict between executive branch officials and their own attorney.

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen and two other department officials, through private attorneys, on Thursday asked Ada County’s 4th Judicial District to halt investigative demands from Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office.

Labrador’s office, acting on a request from legislators, is investigating whether state law was followed in distributing the federal grants, which went to public and nonprofit child care providers over the last two years. The attorney general’s office issued civil investigative demands to dozens of grant recipients, many of whom have also asked a court to intervene.

The health officials’ petition argued that Labrador is “stretching the statute” granting him authority to investigate the charitable assets, and he’s “created an inescapable conflict of interest” by investigating his own clients in the Department of Health and Welfare, which “will generate entirely unnecessary costs.”

“This is not a simple matter of an overbroad request for documents,” the petition said. “It is a matter of government overreach.”

Read the full story here.

Higher education budget clears House

The House yesterday cleared a budget for Idaho colleges and universities, after a lengthy debate over perceived social justice policies at Boise State University.

The budget, which the Senate already passed, directs $643 million, including $338 million from the state’s general fund and the remaining from student tuition and fees. The general fund appropriation mirrors last year’s higher education appropriation.

The budget overcame significant opposition from House Republicans, who advocated for cutting the budget to punish universities for “diversity, equity and inclusion” statements in job postings.

Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, read from one of the job postings, which said that women, people of color, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, said he’s opposed multiple higher education budgets in the past for “diversity, equity and inclusion” policies.

“I’m tired of it,” Crane said. “No means no. Stop means stop.”

The budget heads to the governor.

What to expect today

• 7 a.m. Senate State Affairs. The committee has a slew of controversial bills to consider after public testimony — on “harmful” materials in libraries, contracts with Chinese companies, immigration enforcement, and helping minors obtain out-of-state abortions.

Find the full list of committee meetings and agendas for the House here, and for the Senate here.

Opinion: Reasons governor can veto firing squad

By Scott McIntosh, Opinion Editor

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has a tough decision to make: Whether to sign or veto a bill that would make the firing squad a required method of execution if the state is unable to procure the drugs needed for lethal injection in death penalty cases.

Little has very good reasons to veto the bill.

It’s expensive and his own department doesn’t even want it.

This is a fiscally conservative argument that Little could use to easily justify a veto. Beyond the $750,000 cost to build a facility, the firing squad is still a question mark in the courts, which could bring more expense and delay executions even further.

Finally, it’s just barbaric.

Read our full editorial here on why the governor should veto it.

Track other bills

Keep track of high-profile bills as they go through the legislative process. You can find yesterday’s updates here.

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