Legislative session spiced with memorable quotes
They said what?
State lawmakers spend a lot of time debating, but sometimes their points are particularly revealing, eccentric or just plain funny. Here are some gems by Idaho legislators, bureaucrats and citizens from this year’s legislative session:
“I say let’s have a hearing and take our clothes off and go after it.” – Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, trying to get lawmakers to print his bill.
“My federal colleagues just can’t get their poop in a group.” – Bill Bishop, director of the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security, on federal rules for communications grants.
“One of the hardest things we’ve had to do here is taking off our party hats.” – Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, on a proposal to restrict Idaho’s primary elections.
“I want you to think if it is right to poke a whole group of people in the eye just to make a point.” – Rep. Les Bock, D-Boise, on making English Idaho’s official language.
“I don’t want to appear to be any more of a heathen than you colleagues already think I am, and I don’t hate the children.” – Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, on his vote against a Department of Health and Welfare budget.
“The fact that we have an official bird doesn’t mean I hate all the other birds.” – Rep. Mark Snodgrass, R-Meridian, on making English Idaho’s official language.
“In Old Russia, the state owned children for all intents and purposes.” – Rep. Lenore Barrett, R-Challis, on a resolution supporting early childhood learning standards.
“What can we do to keep mom at home?” – Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, on establishing minimal safety regulations for Idaho day-care centers.
“House concurrent resolutions are really like kissing your sister, sometimes. There’s just not a lot of flavor to that.” – Clark on the state’s new energy plan.
“It’s a sad day when you have to tell people that they have to keep their political views out of the very private grieving that goes on at funerals.” – Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, about a successful bill to ban protests at funerals.
“You don’t want to kill a kid, do you?” – Boise second-grader Allie Hill on banning smoking in bowling alleys.
“Allowing them to become ping-pong balls in the back of a car is not, in my opinion, a good way to protect them.” – Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Cocolalla, on changing Idaho’s seat belt law for infants.
“It seems to me that a person’s life is worth more than that of a moose.” – Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, on revoking hunting privileges for life for anyone who shoots someone while hunting and then is convicted of manslaughter.
“I’m prepared to bid for the first ticket to shoot a wolf myself.” – Gov. Butch Otter on delisting wolves in Idaho.