Capitol Letters | The Idaho Legislature Report
By Ryan Suppe, State Politics Reporter; and Hayat Norimine, Accountability Editor
The Idaho House met for just a few minutes Thursday, while the Senate swore in attachés and confirmed executive branch appointments to legislative committees.
Neither chamber has considered legislation in the first week of the session. While committees continue to meet, much of their work has been administrative.
House Majority Leader Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, told the Idaho Statesman that the session is moving at a normal pace. Lawmakers are moving bills through the pipeline and ensuring the process is transparent, Blanksma said.
“Part of that transparency is slow on the floor, fast in the committee,” she said.
Blanksma told the full House that lawmakers can use Fridays as “constituent days” to travel, schedule town halls and meet with local officials in their districts.
Idaho lawmakers who live within 50 miles of Boise collect $74 per day in per diem — money for food and incidental expenses. Those from outside that geographic area earn $221 daily to cover additional travel costs.
‘No power to prosecute’ without AG
Newly elected Attorney General Raúl Labrador filed a motion to dismiss the case against a Meridian mom who defied a COVID-19 order. The judge did just that.
Ada County Magistrate Judge Adam Kimball dismissed the trespassing charge against Sara Walton Brady, who refused to leave a public playground that had been closed down as a health precaution during the pandemic.
Kimball said the court has “no power to prosecute” if the state’s attorney general ultimately didn’t want to move forward with the case.
Read Statesman reporter Sally Krutzig’s full story here.
Idaho Legislature settles lawsuit over von Ehlinger
The Idaho Legislature has paid $200,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former legislative intern who was raped by then-Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, Idaho Reports reported.
The woman, who’s only been referred to as Jane Doe in court documents, in the lawsuit alleged that lawmakers violated its respectful workplace policy and knew that von Ehlinger had engaged in inappropriate behavior.
Von Ehlinger, a Republican, resigned from his House seat in April 2021 over the allegation after a House ethics hearing about his conduct. He was convicted of the rape a year later and sentenced to up to 20 years in prison; he’ll be eligible for parole after eight.
What to expect today
- The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee plans to discuss economic indicators, the general fund and ARPA, starting at 8 a.m.
- The Senate State Affairs Committee will meet at 8 a.m., mostly for gubernatorial appointments.
Find the full list of committee meetings and agendas for the House here, and for the Senate here.
Catch up on last session
- Last year, in 81 days of the legislative session, the Statesman wrote at least 84 in-depth stories and 54 Capitol Letters newsletters, covering more than 40 pieces of legislation.
- Lost track of high-profile bills? We got that covered. Find out where they landed at the end of last year’s regular legislative session here.
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This story was originally published January 13, 2023 at 4:00 AM.
