Powerful Panel Draws Some Barbs

This seems to be the year the rest of the Legislature noticed that much of Idaho’s state policy is actually determined by the powerful joint committee that sets the state budget - regardless of what other lawmakers want.

And the budget committee is the only one that takes no public testimony.

The realization has set off a backlash of criticism of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee and its members, even as JFAC has started reaching out to other committees for input.

Now Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, has drafted a bill that would prohibit JFAC from passing “legislative intent” - the conditions it ties to state funding. That would leave the panel with only dollars to decide, and strip it of most of its power.

But the power has to go somewhere. In Schroeder’s view, it should go to the other legislative committees - like the Senate Education Committee, which he heads.

The likelihood that all lawmakers would really want to delve into the intricacies and voluminous detail of the state budget the way JFAC does? Less than zero.

Have it both ways?

Gov. Dirk Kempthorne’s supposed compromise on the “free exercise of religion” bill that passed the Legislature earlier this year is being praised by both supporters and opponents, but it’s kind of hard to figure out why.

The bill, pushed by the religious right and opposed by most of Idaho’s mainstream churches, claims to restore religious freedoms lost under a 1990 Supreme Court decision.

Critics say it would sanction discrimination and other illegal acts in the name of religion.

After meeting with both sides, Kempthorne recommended delaying the bill’s effective date until Feb. 1, 2001. The idea is to allow Idaho’s religious leaders to work out their differences between now and then.

But even if they do, there’s no reason to believe lawmakers next year would rush to overturn the law they so easily passed this year, by fast-tracking through a new bill in the first month of the 2001 session. Instead, the deck is stacked - barring quick action to overturn it, the law will take effect.

Kempthorne made it clear Friday that he’s among the bill’s supporters. “I happen to believe in it,” he said.

Folks on both sides of the debate went overboard praising the governor for his leadership.

“This is the beginning of a new day in Idaho,” Presbyterian minister Elizabeth Beck said.

“It verges on beautiful,” Pastor Jim Hardenbrook gushed.

Two of the highest-profile supporters of the measure, who actively lobbied the governor to sign the bill, are House Chaplain Hardenbrook and acting Senate Chaplain Bryan Fischer. They are the ones who offer the prayers as the lawmakers open their sessions each morning.

Do as we say, not as we do

First the House passed legislation requiring schools to offer the pledge of allegiance or national anthem at the start of every school day.

Then Rep. Bill Sali, R-Meridian, followed up with a law requiring the House to say the pledge each morning, too.

That bill led to 45 minutes of impassioned debate, during which one lawmaker questioned how the group could expect its children to do this if they wouldn’t do it themselves. The bill passed.

A bigger helping of spuds

As if that debate wasn’t meaty enough, the Legislature has also passed a bill creating a new, special Famous Potatoes license plate.

Thought we already had spud plates? The new one goes a step further, adding not just the potato slogan but also a picture of a plump Idaho baker, with a pat of butter melting lusciously into its steaming center. Proceeds go to the Idaho Potato Commission.

With the new firefighters plate and the Lewis & Clark bicentennial plate also approved this year, that brings Idaho up to 25 choices for folks who want to pick the design to adorn their bumpers. So far, Idahoans have kicked in extra fees for more than 65,000 special license plates.

Whoopsy-daisy

In the last-minute crush of legislation that flies through at the end of the session, lawmakers legislated one senator’s wife off a state nursing board by inadvertently changing the qualifications. At the urging of Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Hayden, amendments to fix the error were quickly approved.

North-South Notes runs every other Saturday. To reach Betsy Z. Russell, call (208) 336-2854, fax to 336-0021 or e-mail to bzrussell@rmci.net.