The House State Affairs Committee is continuing its hearing this morning on Rep. Phil Hart's “sound money” bill, HB 578, to declare gold and silver coins “legal tender” in Idaho. Among those testifying in favor of the bill so far are two GOP primary challengers who are taking on North Idaho incumbents, Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, and Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, in the May primary. Pam Stout, Eskridge's challenger, told the committee, “This past summer I attended the Utah monetary summit. ... We heard of alternative currencies that were already working in Germany and Switzerland. … Idaho needs an alternative currency as a safety net for our citizens' assets. Precious metal retains its value and purchasing power over time. I ask you to send this bill forward.”

Ahrens, Keough's challenger, told the committee, “I want to have an alternate plan in place just in case. Other states and countries do. We need to have a 'Plan B' just in case. And so I encourage this bill to go forward.”

Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, told the committee, “There has to be a medium of exchange or it goes to the barter system, OK? And that medium of exchange is gold and silver.”