House, Senate Dems say they represented the ‘moderate middle’ in this year’s session

Democratic legislators from the House and Senate, gathered at a post-session press conference, said they made it clear this year that they “represent the moderate middle that Idaho needs and wants.”

House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, listed accomplishments including the bipartisan civil asset forfeiture reform legislation spearheaded by Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise; legislation regarding handling and retention of rape kits pushed by Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise; safe routes to schools legislation passed on the final day of the legislative session, after Dems had pushed for the concept since 2014; anti-invasive species legislation, including raising fees on out-of-state boats to help cover inspections for quagga or zebra mussels; and the ABLE Act legislation pushed by Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, to help Idahoans with disabilities save for critical needs like wheelchair ramps and equipment replacement.

“I am proud to say that the minority has upheld their end of the bargain by passing important legislation and holding the majority accountable,” Erpelding declared.

The Democrats also claimed credit for helping stop legislation that they said was “not beneficial to Idahoans,” from an anti-sanctuary city bill, to legislation targeting Shariah law, to a proposal to exempt legislators’ communications from the Idaho Public Records Act, to a bill to restrict early voting dates; none of those passed.

“What we do and accomplish in these legislative sessions are of the utmost importance for Idahoans,” Erpelding said. “Lives are directly impacted by the decisions made here.”

The top disappointment of the session that the Democrats cited was the failure to address Idaho’s health coverage gap, in which 78,000 Idahoans don’t qualify for either Medicaid or subsidized health insurance through the state’s insurance exchange, their income being either too high or too low.

Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, said despite Democratic efforts during this year’s legislative session, “We’ve walked away and forfeited millions of dollars to do health care for our people.” She said the minority was frustrated by Republicans’ desire to wait and see what happened in Washington, D.C. With the failure of GOP health care legislation in Congress, “Now there’s absolutely no excuse,” Stennett said. “They’ve run out of cans to kick.”

Stennett said Idaho still could expand its Medicaid program largely at federal expense. “Everyone we’ve ever talked to outside of this building has wanted us to do it,” she said.

The two said Democrats, despite their small numbers, also made a difference this year in votes both in committees and on the floor of the House and Senate, while Erpelding said “the majority wasted time fighting each other like children on a playground.”