Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, questioned state Department of Administration Director Teresa Luna as to why the department didn't conduct negotiated rulemaking on its controversial new capitol grounds use rules. "That to me seems like an abdication of the responsibility of the agency," Siddoway said.

Luna responded, "We worked with Occupy Boise during mediation" involving the court case. She said the department's proposals were met with "much disdain. We did not feel that there was any hope whatsoever of coming to any sort of negotiated rulemaking with this process." Siddoway said, "Is that legal, for an agency to not take on that responsibility?" Luna responded, "Mr. Chairman, it is, yes."

Other senators on the Senate State Affairs Committee have had numerous questions this morning about details of the rules, including questions about restrictions on speech rights.