Spokane7
26°
In this afternoon’s House session, HB 532a, legislation from Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, to require “conservation permits” for non-hunters or fishermen who use certain Fish and Game lands, was defeated on a 25-43 vote after much debate. Several House members objected to the idea of requiring permits for families out on a picnic. “There may be folks out there just driving by, they may be from out of state,” said Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, and might not know about the requirement for permits, the cost of which would double for out-of-staters: $20 per family, instead of $10. Violators would be cited.
Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, said he’s long had a hunting license. “I don’t mind sharing that activity and the use of that ground with other folks,” he said, noting that lawmakers recently passed a resolution to encourage kids to get outdoors. Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, noted that lawmakers a few years ago vehemently objected to proposed recreation fees on federal lands as double taxation; he said the conservation permit fees raise the same problem. Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett, R-Challis, said the permit fee plan amounts to “an updated version of the king’s forest,” and said Idahoans are in no position to pay more fees, saying, “We’re in the middle of a recession, remember?”
Also this afternoon, Rep. Phil Hart’s silver medallion bill, which would establish an official state silver medallion that could be used for the payment of state taxes along with granting tax exceptions to certain mining and silver-processing businesses, passed the House on a 51-14 vote. That measure, HB 633, now moves to the Senate side.
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2012, The Spokesman-Review
Terms of use • Privacy policy • Copyright policy
No comments on this post so far. Add yours!
« Back to Eye On Boise
You must be logged in to post comments.
Please create a profile or log in here.