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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Highway 95 Bill Will Get Hearing

Legislation to allow Idahoans to vote on a major upgrade of U.S. Highway 95 will get a committee hearing Thursday.

Sen. Evan Frasure, R-Pocatello, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said late Tuesday that the highway bill made the cut. He has 13 bills left to hear at his committee’s final meeting Thursday and scheduled only six.

“We had that bill last year and didn’t get a chance to hear it,” Frasure said. “I’ve told those folks we will give it all due consideration, and we will.”

John Goedde of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce, who has been pushing for the bill, was pleased with the news and said he plans to be in Boise for the hearing Thursday.

“We’ve been trying to put the full-court press on to at least let it be heard,” he said. “I can’t think of anything more democratic than allowing the people to vote on it.”

Among the North Idaho lawmakers who had asked Frasure for a hearing were Rep. Hilde Kellogg, R-Post Falls, the bill’s sponsor; Rep. Don Pischner, R-Coeur d’Alene; Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Hayden; and Sen. Clyde Boatright, R-Rathdrum. Boatright serves on Frasure’s committee.

The last-minute maneuvering came as the Legislature launches into its annual end-of-session frenzy. Lawmakers are suspending rules to quickly consider legislation. Committee chairmen are trying to fit in hearings on complex bills and legislative leadership is pushing to shut the session down by the middle of next week, if not sooner.

“It’s traditional,” Boise State University political scientist Jim Weatherby said of the last-minute legislative crush. “It produces both good and bad legislation.”

“The saving feature is these are annual sessions - there is an opportunity to correct the mistakes from the prior session the following year, which occupies a significant percentage of the time each legislative session.”

House Speaker Mike Simpson pooh-poohs complaints about the last-minute legislative frenzy.

“There are people that don’t understand that it costs $30,000 a day to keep us in session,” he said. “Do I push people? Yes I do.”

People would complain that there’s not enough time no matter how long the legislative session runs, Simpson said. The real problem is that lawmakers, lobbyists and interest groups seem to like to make last-minute proposals.

“I’d like to have more things ready when we come to town.”

Simpson pointed to House Bill 342, a controversial measure that would give parents whose children attend home or private schools a $500-per-child tax credit. The measure probably will come up for a House vote on Thursday or Friday, he said.

“Does that give the Senate time to hold a hearing? I don’t think so.”

The bill was introduced far too late in the session to have a chance, Simpson said. “I’ve told people it’s not going to become law this session.”

The Highway 95 bill asks voters to consider a statewide bond issue to improve the north-south highway, with hikes in gas tax and registration fees to make the bond payments.

A new stretch of road that could be built near McCall could also become a toll road, under the bill, to help pay off the bonds.

, DataTimes