Barrutia to seek re-election

State Sen. Robbi Barrutia announced today that she will seek a fourth term in the Idaho State Senate on behalf of District 20 or District 22 (pending the mandatory redistricting final decision).

After long consultations with family, friends, fellow senators and long-term supporters, the Glenns Ferry Republican said that she feels "strongly about renewing her commitment to the people who have consistently supported" her five times previously.

Barrutia has been under fire recently for her second DUI arrest. She has admitted to being an alcoholic and has begun treatment for the disease.

She is being challenged in the primary by fellow Republican Sher Sellman, who currently holds one of two house seats from this district.

"I look forward to the honor and privilege of serving another two years in the Idaho State Senate on behalf of my constituency," she said in her prepared announcement statement.

"Although personally I have experienced great difficulty the past few years I have been in an excellent recovery program and have been receiving the help and support I so desperately needed. I have never lost focus or been distracted from my responsibilities to my constituency that will never change. "My personal life is at a level that will only help my family and my constituency. I am so fortunate to have so many caring supporters and family members that have never given up on me, they have continued to confirm that support on a daily basis. I look forward with anticipation to the responses of my constituency on my decision.

"I can be reached during the remainder of the legislative session at my floor phone, 332-1390 or email: rking@senate.state.id.us, or at home during the weekends and after session at 366-7715 or r.king-barrutia@worldnet.att.net. As always I look forward to serving you and remain committed that 'Together We Can Create a Better Idaho'."

Sen. Barrutia was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 1992 and re-elected in 1994. In 1996 she was elected to the Idaho State Senate to serve in the position vacated by the retirement of Sen. Claire Wetherell. Senator Barrutia was re-elected in 1998 after a tough four-way campaign and re-elected in 2000 when no opposition filed against her.

In the Idaho House of Representatives she served on the House State Affairs Committee, the House Judiciary Rules and Administration Committee, and the House Transportation and Defense Committee. During Sen. Barrutia's tenure in the Idaho State Senate she has served four years on the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee, six years on the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee, six years on the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and was appointed to the Senate State Affairs Leadership Committee in 2000.

In just six years in the Idaho Senate Barrutia has risen through the ranks as a ranking senior member of the Judiciary Rules and Administration Committee, and a ranking senior member of the Senate House and Welfare Committee.

Barrutia currently holds a seat on the powerful Senate State Affairs Committee, which is usually the last word on key issues before the final floor vote.

Barrutia has pulled out the big guns from the state leadership to support her re-election.

Sen. Sheila Sorensen, who chairs that committee, offered her endorsement for Barrutia, saying "Senator Barrutia is a valuable member of this leadership committee. Her knowledge of the issues and dedication to her constituency is commendable. There are few legislators who work as hard for the people they represent and the people of Idaho."

Republican Caucus Chairman Bart Davis of Idaho Falls called Senator Barrutia a "tenacious legislator for the people of her district.

"If it's an issue of importance to her constituents there isn't a legislator up here that doesn't know about it, and hears about it. She is a very strong representative for her people, " said Davis.

Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee Chairman and long time friend, Sen. Denton Darrington of Declo also expressed his opinion of Senator Barrutia's contributions to his committee: "She does her homework well, and more than carries her weight. I've never seen a senator who represents the interests of her district better than Sen. Barrutia. She is truly an excellent senator" said Darrington.

Majority-Leader Senator Jim Risch also was quoted, in Barrutia's prepared announcement statement as saying, "Sen. Barrutia knows the process and the rules of the senate so intimately and is able to use that knowledge to enhance her efforts on behalf of her constituents extremely well. She is unusually capable of understanding a myriad of issues very quickly and giving more than 100 percent dedication of effort on behalf of the people she represents and the people of Idaho."

In her tenure in the legislature Robbi has, in the House of Representatives, served as Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Child Support and Enforcement. She has also been a committee member on the Interim Committee on Juvenile Justice, which created the new and successful Department of Juvenile Corrections. In 1995 she was appointed to Attorney General Alan Lance's Domestic Violence Task Force and was also a member of the interim committee on State Outdoor Recreation Enhancement.

In the Idaho Senate she was an interim committee member of the Mental Health Committee. Barrutia also assisted with the drafting and sponsoring of the Children's Mental Health Act of 1997, which enabled creation of a new children' s mental health system that allowed parents and family of children with mental health needs to participate and direct the needs of their children. She also served as Chairman of the Idaho State School and Hospital Committee and has also worked for the past ten years with the High Reacher's and The ARC in assisting with providing employment, assisted and independent living opportunities for the clients they represent.

Sen. Robbi (King) Barrutia was an eight-year member on the Region IV Infant and Toddler Committee, she is currently an honorary board member of the Idaho Black History Museum and assisted the Mountain Home Black History Committee, with the help of Joe and Mildred McNeal, to sponsor the success of Idaho's Juneteenth Celebration Legislation.

Barrutia served on the Board of Directors of the Idaho Rural Partnership (formerly the Idaho Rural Development Council), the South Central Idaho Recreation and Tourism Association, the Glenns Ferry Representative on the Elmore County Economic Development Council, as Executive Director of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Committee where she facilitated the state funding for the historical project in Glenns Ferry with Gov. Phil Batt, Sen. Claire Wetherell and Rep. Frances Field. Barrutia is also a member of the Owyhee County Cattlemen Association. On behalf of Owyhee County she traveled to Seattle to appear at the 9th District Court of Appeals to protest the listing of the Bruneau Hot Springs Snail as an endangered species. Along with Rep. Field and Sen. Wetherell she drafted and sponsored a memorial to congress protesting the listing of the Bruneau Hot Springs Snail in support of the agricultural, livestock and business interests in Owyhee County. She also co-sponsored with Sen. Rick Branch of Midvale the Taylor Grazing Act. The intent of that legislation was to ensure grazing rights for the cattle industry.

She has also been an active livestock buyer and contributor to the Elmore County Fair and 4-H Program. She also has been a financial supporter and volunteer for the Bruneau Junior Rodeo and the Elmore County Junior Rodeo.

Sen. Barrutia has assisted the Mountain Home Senior Center, and was also helpful with the funding issues for the new Glenns Ferry Senior Center.

She has been active on Idaho Veteran's Issues. She has served for six years as an instructor at the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program.

She has currently drafted and is sponsoring legislation that will create and fund a Veterans Transportation Fund. The legislation will provide reimbursement vouchers for Idaho's veterans, who are wheelchair bound, and must pay for their own transportation for medical services at the veteran's hospitals.

Sen. Barrutia was a strong supporter of the Idaho Enhanced Training Range. She testified in Boise, Mountain Home and other areas as well as attending hearings in Duck Valley and Twin Falls. She sponsored a memorial, that passed both the Idaho House and the Idaho Senate in support of the proposal and set up a hearing in the House Transportation and Defense Committee in which Gen. Ken Peck and members of the Mountain Home Military Affairs Committee educated legislators on the importance of enhanced training in Idaho and the United States Air Force.

As a house member, Representative Robbi King, Representative Frances Field and Senator Claire Wetherell sponsored a successful tour of Mountain Home Air Force Base with a large participation of house and senate members.

Sen. Barrutia is a long-time resident of Glenns Ferry and attended elementary school at Mountain Home Air Force Base where her father was assigned during his Air Force career. She graduated in 1977 from Bishop Kelly High School and in January 1977, during her senior year, on her 18th birthday, enlisted in the Idaho Air National Guard. She attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas and completed her training at Gowen Field, Idaho. She served four years as both an Air Operations Specialist and an assistant in the photo interpretation intelligence center.

Robbi and her husband, John Barrutia, live in Glenns Ferry on their 40-acre property where they raise cattle and pasture horses through the spring and summer months. Former Lt. Gov Butch Otter married them in December 1999, however they have been best friends since attending high school at Bishop Kelly together. They have four daughters.