‘From a practical standpoint, this is a disaster’

Rep. Marge Chadderdon’s flag-manufacturing bill was sidelined to the House’s amending order today, after several representatives objected to the bill’s requirement that if any political subdivision of the state of Idaho purchases a state or U.S. flag that was manufactured outside the United States, it could refuse to pay for the flag. That’s how Chadderdon and co-sponsor Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, explained a clause saying that such purchases would be “null and void.” Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, said, “I think there’s some constitutional problems with this issue - I don’t even know how you’d put that into effect. It’s got problems.”

Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, told the House, “Nobody wants to vote against mom, apple pie and the flag,” but he said, “I also see some problems here. … I really appreciate the intent here, but from a practical standpoint, this is a disaster.” After Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, called the bill “the end-of-the-session warm fuzzy,” Clark moved to send it to the House’s amending order. His motion passed.