Today, Idaho Governor Brad Little kicked off the 2024 Legislative Session with his State of the State Speech at the Idaho Capitol, identifying key priorities including transportation, protecting our waters from invasive species, safeguarding water supplies, and funding for schools, among others. Breaking with tradition, much of the speech was delivered via a prerecorded video.
As ICL gears up for the session, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the Natural Resources, Energy & Environment, Agriculture, and State Affairs Committees, but will also keep an eye on other committees as well. The reality is that you never know where or when environment-related bills might pop up, so we keep our head on a swivel to make sure we don’t miss anything.
With at least a dozen hearings each day, it keeps us busy! Located just two blocks from the Idaho Capitol, there’s a well-worn path from ICL headquarters to the statehouse, and with snow in the forecast, we’ll be busting out our snow boots to make sure that we are there from day one, working to protect the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the lands and wildlife you love.
Governor Brad Little lays out legislative priorities
Governor Brad Little delivered his sixth State of the State Address this afternoon and laid out his priorities for the session. Much of his speech centered on transportation, infrastructure, tax cuts, and education issues. He highlighted his Idaho Launch initiative, which provides funds for Idaho students to pursue in-demand careers. And he pledged $2 billion (over 10 years) in new funding to improve the condition of schools in Idaho, many of which are literally falling apart.
Throughout the speech he contrasted Idaho with the federal government, with regards to spending and tax policy. He also took credit for significant investments in transportation, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, but neglected to mention that much of the funding for those projects came from the feds. Regardless, there’s much work to be done and we look forward to working with the Governor and state leaders to protect Idaho’s air, water, lands, and wildlife.
Sunshine, the best disinfectant
During ICL’s first legislative session in 1974, the Land Use Planning Act was shelved after powerful development interests spent big bucks to defeat the bill. In response, ICL worked with partners to draft a citizen initiative requiring disclosure of political contributions. It passed overwhelmingly with 78% of the vote. In 1990, the Idaho Public Records Act was passed, requiring state agencies and officials to share correspondence, writings, and other records (with some exceptions).
Together, these measures provide a powerful antiseptic to secrets, backroom deals, and special gifts for the favored few. ICL regularly makes use of both measures to peek behind the curtains of government, in an effort to protect Idaho’s environment. Unfortunately, sometimes the cost to ICL for public information is prohibitive, leaving ICL and the public in the dark.
Still, in the statehouse, with Republican super majorities in both the House and Senate, most big decisions are made behind closed doors in caucus. Further, committee chairs have remarkable power to block bills, even when a majority of committee members may support the bill. Finally, this year, changes are coming to the powerful budget committee, who will now be questioning state agency leaders behind closed doors. All this begs the question…what’s wrong with a little sunlight?
Other topics on deck?
As Idaho’s population continues to swell, issues related to urban growth and development are likely to be a focus. One of the challenges is that as communities are growing, the availability of water supplies is shrinking. One measure that might help would limit the ability of Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs) to require green lawns. Xeriscaping with native plants can reduce water and fertilizer needs, however some HOAs prohibit this practice.
Another measure we expect to see would limit Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, known as SLAPP suits. Unfortunately, we’ve seen several efforts to stifle free speech through litigation, most recently when residents in Stanley spoke out against a private airstrip and were subsequently sued by the proponent. If Idaho had an anti-SLAPP suit law on the books, it would have been easier for the case to have been dismissed. Instead, the case is pending in the Idaho Supreme Court.
Finally, it would be a surprise if the session didn’t include significant discussion focused on water. Across the state, groundwater levels continue to decline, populations are increasing, temperatures are up, and precipitation is down. To boot, Idaho leads the nation in per capita water usage. Taken together, it spells trouble for Idaho’s ability to meet our growing needs.
Tie of the week!
Funding the state government is a big job. This week’s tie is dedicated to all the staff in the Idaho Legislative Services Office who analyze, prepare, and help present the budget. If you’re interested in digging into the numbers, check out their website. After all, these are taxpayer dollars, and you have a right to know how they are being spent.
Until next week…Esto Perpetua,
Jonathan