Opinion

Dear Friends, Below are some recent activities and highlights taking place in the Idaho Capitol. I hope you enjoy the information. For more details, you can log onto legislature.idaho.gov where you will find bills, committee recordings, and live stream videos of our House and Senate floor sessions...

Our neighbors to the north and south play an integral part in Idaho’s economy. A trade agreement being considered for approval by Congress would enable Idaho businesses to continue competing in a global market and enhance their customer base in North America...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) are standing up for American dairy farmers by reintroducing bipartisan legislation today to combat the unfair practice of mislabeling non-dairy products. The Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act (DAIRY PRIDE Act) would require non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt or cheese. ...

After more than a year of hard work, legislation providing workers compensation to first responders with psychological injuries, such as post traumatic stress injury (PTSI) was signed into law by Governor Little. Before this law, first responders would need an accompanying physical injury to receive workers compensation for a psychological injury. ...

Dear Friends, This past week we enjoyed “Red Jacket Day at the Capitol.” The Republican Women’s clubs from around the State were in town for their annual legislative visit and meetings. The Idaho Federal of Republican Women hosted a reception for legislators at the Capitol Cellars restaurant on Monday evening. Then at noon on Tuesday, the Canyon County Republican Women’s club prepared a buffet lunch in the Capitol for legislators and their respective clubs...

Dear Editor , This letter is to thank our Mountain Home St. Luke's Elmore Hospital for saving my life. I went to the emergency room on Sunday, 1/13/19, with what I thought was bronchitis. They checked me out, and the X-ray showed I had pneumonia. The Emergency Room staff started treatment, and the next day (Monday), I was taking a nap when I apparently went into a "Does Not Respond" (DNR) mode. ...

Representative Sue Chew is helping fight soaring drug prices by expanding who can donate unused medications and what organizations can receive them. On Monday, an Amendment to the Idaho Legend Drug Donation Act advanced through the Health & Welfare Committee and will receive a full hearing. ...

Dear Friends, One of Governor Little’s initiatives is to reduce state regulatory burdens on Idaho’s citizens and businesses. The past week in the Senate Transportation Committee we rejected 22 existing rules and replaced them with 8 new rules. The old rules had just evolved over time adding new rules from time to time. ...

Dear Editor, Are letters to the editor a waste of time, money and energy? Perhaps. I ‘think’ the CDC has recently issued a warning. Yes, they are calling it, ‘Apathy Across America,’ A.A.A. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for this condition, as it is passed down through generations...

Education Week at the Capitol is always a pivotal time not just for the legislature, but the entire state. The presidents of Idaho’s major universities and community colleges made the rounds this week, seeking investments that will help produce the skilled-workforce Idaho so desperately needs. ...

Friends, We have completed the second week of your State Legislature. Most of what has been accomplished in my committees has been dealing with the rule review process. In State Affairs we rejected rule changes for the Rules Governing the Chinden Office Complex, and we also rejected rule changes for the Division of Purchasing. Again, as stated in last week’s email, this is only effective at this point if we can get concurrence from the Senate...

Thank you for the privilege of Representing you in the 65th Session of the Idaho State Legislature. I am so grateful for your trust in me, I continue to work diligently to represent you. As the 2019 Session is beginning, I have been assigned to the following committees: State Affairs, Agriculture Affairs, and Judiciary and Rules...