Barbieri, Sims fail in bid to kill anti-Palcohol bill by striking enacting clause

Reps. Vito Barbieri and Kathy Sims unsuccessfully tried a rarely used maneuver just now to kill the bill outlawing powdered alcohol, which is being marketed as “Palcohol.” When the bill came up for amendments in the House today, to add a clause exempting medicines from the ban, Barbieri and Sims proposed another amendment: Striking the enacting clause. That would kill the bill, giving it no effect.

Barbieri offered no argument for his amendment, other than saying it was clear what it would do.

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said, “This amendment is very unfriendly to the bill. … This is an amendment that was not even discussed,” when the committee heard the bill. “It came out with a pretty darn good vote out of committee. This is an amendment we need to defeat.”

Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, said the bill, which was proposed by the state Liquor Division, is important enough to come up for a full debate in the House. “This body should be entitled to hear this fully and decide,” he said.

The fatal amendment was then defeated on a voice vote. The other amendment regarding medicine, which Luker proposed, was approved.