House Democrats walk out in protest

BOISE – The third longest legislative session in state history will continue next week after House Democrats walked out in protest Friday when a Republican lawmaker repeatedly cited studies that claim to link abortion to breast cancer.

The sudden halt to legislative business left several major issues hanging, including recharge of the aquifer in southern Idaho and highway construction funding.

Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, said Friday afternoon that a deal has been reached on the aquifer recharge but that the Legislature probably will adjourn Monday, likely without the major property tax relief many North Idaho residents want.

Earlier in the day, the House was in the middle of debating Senate Bill 1482, which aims to implement a new informed consent law for abortions, when Democrats left the chamber and House Majority Leader Lawerence Denney of Midvale called for adjournment.

“It’s kind of an indication of the last days and the hot tempers,” Denney told reporters.

All of the Democrats left the floor after Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet of Ketchum walked out in the middle of Kuna Republican Rep. Bill Sali’s closing remarks. Jaquet later said she was just getting a tissue and didn’t intend to walk out on debate.

She earlier had objected to Sali citing studies linking breast cancer to abortion. A breast cancer survivor, Jaquet said such a link has not been proved.

House Speaker Bruce Newcomb put the House at ease to talk with Sali, Jaquet and Denney, and was heard asking Sali, “Why stick your finger in people’s eyes?”

Sali, a candidate for the 1st District congressional seat, continued his closing remarks by citing the same studies, and Jaquet left the chamber.

Procedural rules don’t allow for House business to be conducted without minority party representatives present. There were ways to get around that, Denney said, but leadership felt that “we probably should allow a cooling-off period.”

Lawmakers appeared frustrated that so little was accomplished on a day many had hoped would be jam-packed with decisions in anticipation of ending the session before this weekend.

“The second-graders in my hometown could do a better job than we’re doing here,” said Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis. “It’s kind of embarrassing, and I don’t embarrass easily.”

Barrett, who’s served in the House for 14 years, said she’s never seen the House adjourn in the midst of a debate.

Reps. Jo An Wood, R-Rigby, and Dolores Crow, R-Nampa, who both have served for more than 20 years, said they too have never seen it happen.

“But I’ve never seen them walk out like that,” Crow said.

The chairwoman of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, Crow said her committee will meet Monday to address property taxes.

Hayden Lake Republican Rep. Jim Clark, who serves on the committee, said there are two options he’s looking at: One would amend the advisory vote bill, SB 1501, that passed the Senate Thursday, to include a one-year freeze on property taxes – something Clark proposed earlier in the session. The other option would cap the public school operation budget growth at 3 percent annually.

But, he said, “Monday’s a long ways away,” indicating that weekend discussions could yield new options.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis of Idaho Falls said the Senate is awaiting highway construction bonding legislation, now stalled in the House Transportation Committee, and possible new legislation on recharging the aquifer in southern Idaho.