The first gavel of the 2024 Idaho legislative session will fall next week, and just as we have for the last 50 years, ICL will be there to represent you, protecting the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the lands and wildlife you love!
But we can’t be successful without your engagement and support.
The good news is that every Monday, you can receive ICL’s Legislative Update right in your inbox. We’ll let you know what went down, what’s coming up, and how you can engage with your elected representatives to strengthen our collective voice for conservation in the statehouse. If you aren’t signed up for those updates yet, sign up here!
And mark your calendar for our annual Legislative Reception, co-hosted with our friends from Conservation Voters for Idaho, on Jan 30th (RSVP and more info).
So, what do we expect?
Next Monday, January 8, Governor Brad Little will deliver his annual State of the State Address at 1 pm (MST). He’ll lay out his priorities for the session. In light of the tax cuts that Idaho passed in the 2022 session, along with dwindling federal ARPA $$, we won’t have a budget surplus like we’ve had in recent years.
There are always conflicts over spending, but this year, it appears the belts will be a little tighter.
One item that ICL will be keeping a close eye on: quagga mussels. Unfortunately, these invasive and destructive mussels were found in Idaho’s Snake River last fall. The ~$5 million treatment, which we hope was successful, needs to be paid for, and additional efforts are obviously needed to prevent their future introduction into our precious waterways.
Speaking of budgets, the powerful budget-writing committee, known as JFAC, is hoping to streamline efforts this year. Agency directors usually testify in public session, but this year, will only be taking questions from committee members in private meetings. ICL and others will be watching closely to see how it all plays out.
In the Senate, tensions are already high…Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder (R-Boise) recently issued reprimands to several senators, stripping two of their roles as committee vice-chairs, and putting another on notice over criticisms that they made in constituent newsletters.
What else is on the docket?
Along with tussling over the budget, some hot button topics are sure to be on the agenda. Because it’s an election year, we expect an even more eventful session than usual as legislators position themselves in advance of their May primaries. Items on the menu include several failed measures from last year that are likely to rise from the dead. This includes school libraries, voting rights, and school vouchers (referred to as ‘School Choice’) that could send public dollars toward private schools.
On the environmental front, water issues are likely to dominate. Disagreements still exist between the groundwater and surface water users in the Eastern Snake River Plain, where water quantity continues to decline. In response, additional efforts around aquifer recharge and other water-related investments are likely to be considered.
On the financial side, last year we saw efforts to restrict the use of environmental, social, and governance (known as ESG) criteria in certain state investments. Two of the bills ultimately passed the Senate, while the most troubling bill died. We are waiting to see what a new bill might look like, and are closely watching how lawsuits challenging similar bills are playing out around the country.
Along with these issues, we also expect to see discussion over growth, transportation, wildlife, water quality, and dozens of other topics. We’ll be there, but can be more successful with your engagement.
Tie of the week!
As an added bonus to a thorough report on everything happening Unda’ the Rotunda, I’ll spotlight my Tie of the Week. While I haven’t had a daily occasion to wear a tie yet, since the session hasn’t started, this week’s tie should be self-explanatory.
We don’t yet know all the twists and turns that the 2024 Idaho Legislative Session will take, but there is one thing we do know…ICL will be there to speak up for clean air, clean water, public lands, wildlife, and other issues that matter to you!
Until next week…Esto Perpetua,
Jonathan