Last week’s highlights
Occupy Boise encampment may have to pull up stakes: Republican House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke introduced a bill to ban camping on the Capitol Mall and nearby state property. The measure would effectively force protesters to abandon their camp on the Old Ada County Courthouse. The measure is not a prohibition on freedom of speech, Bedke said. At a Friday hearing, activists countered that the tent city is a symbol of what is right and wrong in the country. The encampment has become a gathering place and, in some cases, a home to the disenfranchised, the disillusioned, the under-employed, the unemployed and the homeless.
Redistricting redux riles Republicans: The Idaho Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the proposed map for redrawing the state’s legislative districts, saying it split too many counties to be legal. The court ordered the six-member redistricting commission back to work. Later in the week, Republicans announced a house-cleaning: House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, said he planned to fire his appointee to the panel, former GOP Rep. Dolores Crow of Nampa. Denney said members of his party didn’t think Crow did enough to protect the party’s interests. Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko followed suit, telling Randy Hansen, his appointee, to quit or be fired. The Idaho attorney general’s office weighed in Friday, saying redistricting commissioners likely can’t be fired. The commission is scheduled to begin work Thursday.
And speaking of tossing Republicans out ... Nine senators, including Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise, said they voted against retaining Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, in his No. 4 leadership position in the Senate Republican caucus because of his June 2011 DUI arrest. The nine senators, in a statement Friday, said media reports of the Jan. 11 vote to retain McGee “led many of our constituents to mistakenly conclude that all members of the Senate GOP caucus voted to affirm support for Sen. McGee.”
Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said the signatories were not the only senators in the 28-member caucus who opposed McGee in the secret vote. “I don’t want the impression those are the only nine,” Hill said. “That’s not fair.” Hill declined to say how he voted.
What to watch for this week
Joint Finance Appropriations Committee: “Education Week” begins at 8 a.m. Monday with the panel reviewing budget requests from Boise State University, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College. On Thursday, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna will outline public school budget plans for 2013. Education is the state’s largest annual expense, and many teachers, school district officials and parents are asking for a bump in funding after enduring three years of deep budget cuts.
House State Affairs Committee: A vote is expected Monday on the bill that would prevent camping at the Capitol Mall. 8:45 a.m.
For the complete agenda, go to legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/agenda.htm
