Idaho Legislative Update, March 4, 2020

Rep. Sage G. Dixon – District 1

Floor Session:

This is the time of the Session when we are the busiest. We go onto the House Floor at 10am, break for lunch, and then are back on the Floor at 1pm until anywhere between 3:30 and 5pm.  Morning Committees are still meeting, and afternoon Committees are as well, if time permits after the Floor Session.  We have been trying to pass as many House Bills as possible, in order to get them over to the Senate, and have a chance of passing over there, before we leave town.  Our target date for “Sine die” is March 20th, which is rapidly approaching.

An interesting vote took place this week that usually happens once a Session.  H535 was an appropriation Bill debated on the Floor and passed with a slim margin of 37 Aye, 30 Nay, and 4 absent.  An ally of someone who debated against the Bill requested unanimous consent that the Bill be voted on again.  In order to make this request, a person must have voted with the prevailing side, and receive the consent of the body to re-vote. Once the consent was granted, phone calls were furiously made all over the Floor to try and line up votes to either support or oppose the Bill for a second time.  With two absent people back in their seats, and other people changing their votes, H535 failed to pass the second time, 29-39-2.  This will cause the budget Committee to rework their numbers and present this budget once more in the upcoming weeks.

As always, all votes are yes, and all Bills passed unless otherwise noted.

The Bills we voted on were:

SCR120 States findings and investigates alternatives to 10th grade standards test

S1249   Amends law to establish a “Choose Life” license plate

S1255   Amends law to match and transfer funds between Idaho State Veteran’s accounts

SCR125States findings and establishes committee to study commercial air service

H451     Amends law regarding annexation of certain forest land

H491     Amends law regarding ambulance and fire protection district agreements

S1263   Amends law regarding occupational diseases and removing a sunset provision

H402     Amends law regarding child protection worker training

H403     Amends law to revise a policy statement

H515     Institutes Idaho Patient Act providing requirements for medical debt collections

H409     Add to law to provide a limitation on taxing district budgets for one year

H488     Amends law to revise definition concerning utilities                                     FAIL  N 

H500     Establishes the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.

H436     Provides for Health Care Directive Registry through Dept. of H/W               FAIL  N

S1266   Amends law regarding Higher Education Stabilization Fund

H486     Amends law regarding unmanned aircraft systems

H489     Repeals and add to law regarding annexation of land by cities

H534     Appropriation for Office of Species Conservation                                  $15,125,800

H535     Appropriation for Soil and Water Conservation Districts                FAIL  $3,084,400

H536     Appropriation for Endowment Fund Investment Board                               $754,800

H537     Appropriation for Lava Hot Springs Foundation                                       $3,010,000

H501     Amends law regarding excision and annexation of school district property

H509     Amends law regarding certain facts and amendments on birth certificates

H442     Amends law regarding sales and use tax on certain agricultural vehicles

H431     Amends law regarding Attorney General’s duties relating to charitable assets      N

H464     Amends law regarding value of property exempted in debt and bankruptcy cases N

H516     Amends law regarding concealed weapons and U.S. citizens

H518     Amends law to revise provisions regarding property tax notices

H541     Appropriation for Dept. of Finance                                                           $8,924,500

H542     Appropriation for Workforce Development Council                           $12,894,800 N

H512     Amends law to provide for charter school lottery weighting for certain students   N

H543     Appropriation for Dept. of Insurance                                                        $9,917,800

H522     Amends law regarding online safety policies for K-12 students

H487     Amends law to revise provisions regarding pesticides and chemigation

H556     Appropriation for Division of Veteran’s Services                                    $46,186,800

H393     Amends law to consolidate election dates

H514     Amends law regarding political party affiliations

H528     Amends law regarding unlawful killing, possession, and waste of wildlife              N

H544     Amends law regarding hunting for upland game birds

H545     Amends law to provide game tag for swans

H529     Add to law to provide civil immunity for architects, engineers, and contractors

H474     Amends law regarding limitation on insurance coverage

H526     Amends law regarding annuity sales and advertising

H433     Add to law regarding Family Law License Suspensions

H435     Amends law to clarify consent for the adoption of an adult

H466     Amends law to prohibit marriage between certain persons

H548     Amends law regarding initiatives and referendums to disclose payments

H432aa Adds to law regarding Criminal Justice Integrated Data Systems Act                    N

H457aa Amends law regarding sex offender registration and daycare facilities

H467aa Amends law to remove a provision when a peace officer makes an arrest

H429aa Amends law regarding duties of State Public Defense Commission            FAIL  N

H557     Appropriation for omnibus reduction                                                    -$22,484,200

H510     Amends law regarding Idaho Small Employer Incentive Act extending sunset

H521     Amends law to provide sales tax exemption for new data center                           N

H553     Amends law regarding assessment and taxation of forest land

HJM 14 Authorizes legislative council  to form a committee to study funding of Higher Ed.

Amending Order:

H340     Child Care Licensing

S1231   Transportation

H432     Criminal Justice Integrated Data System

H457     Sexual offender Registration

H467     Arrests

H473     Idaho Credit Union Act

H511     Education

H455     Child Protection

H517     Local Improvement Districts

Revenue and Taxation:

This week, we had (3) meetings in which we heard (8) RS’s, and (8) Bills.

The RS topics were:

College Savings Accounts

Veteran Property Tax Credit

ForestLand Taxation

Homeowner’s Exemption, Deadline

Valuation of Agricultural Land

Property Assessment, Market Value

Child Tax Credit, Court Orders

All RSs were introduced for printing.

The Bills were:

H540     Fulfillment Centers

H550      Education Savings Accounts

H551      Education Savings Accounts

H552      Veteran’s Property Tax

H521      Taxation, Data Centers

H553      Forest Land Taxation

H510     Small Employer Incentive Act

H518      Property Tax Notices

All the Bills were passed on to the House Floor with a “do pass” recommendation.

Transportation & Defense: 

We held no meetings this week.

Business:

We held (2) meetings this week in which we heard (5) Bills.

The Bills were:

H474     Underinsured Driver

H526     Insurance Annuities

H503     Homeowners Assoc./ Political signs

S1259   Plumbers/ Permit Requirements

S1260   HVAC Apprentice Registration

All Bills were passed to the Floor with a “Do Pass” recommendation, with the exception of H475 and H473 which both were sent to the amending order.

I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns, and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent District 1 in The Idaho House of Representatives.
Lord Bless,Sage G. Dixon