Interim committees set; may start meeting before lawmakers leave town

The Legislative Council met today and unanimously approved a slate of interim committees for the coming year, with an eye toward having some start meeting before lawmakers leave town for this year’s session. With an Idaho Supreme Court decision now requiring lawmakers to present all bills to the governor before they adjourn sine die, some sitting around is possible at the end of the session, as legislators wait for all bills to make their way to the governor.

“It would be my desire that if we don’t have other things to do, if there’s slack time, they have organizational meetings and the co-chairs lay out their expectations,” said House Speaker Scott Bedke.

Here are the interim committees that were authorized:

Public School Funding Formula Interim Committee, which is being reauthorized and also met last year. Co-chairs are Sen. Chuck Winder and Rep. Wendy Horman. Members: Sens. Mortimer, Bayer, DenHartog and Ward-Engelking; and Reps. Bedke, VanOrden, Dixon and McCrostie.

Campaign Finance Reform Interim Committee, which was a legislative working group in 2017. Co-chairs are Sen. Patti Anne Lodge and Rep. Fred Wood. Members: Sens. Souza, Harris, Agenbroad and Stennett; and Reps. Loertscher, VanderWoude, Dixon and Erpelding.

State Employee Group Insurance Plan Interim Committee, which is being reauthorized. Co-chairs are Sen. Todd Lakey and Rep. Fred Wood. Members: Sens. Nonini, Patrick and Nye; and Reps. Anderst, Monks and Gannon(17).

Commercial Vehicle/Farm Vehicle Registration and Operating Fees Study Committee, which also is being reauthorized. Co-chairs are Sen. Bert Brackett and Rep. Joe Palmer. Members: Sens. Winder, Anthon, Crabtree and Nye; and Reps. Monks, Kauffman, Shepherd, and Toone.

Criminal Justice Reinvestment Oversight Committee, which is continuing. Co-chairs are Sen. Patti Anne Lodge and Rep. Lynn Luker. Members: Sens. Keough, Rice, Buckner-Webb and Nye; and Reps. Holtzclaw, Zollinger, McCrostie and Wintrow.

Idaho Council on Indian Affairs, which is continuing. Co-chairs are Sen. Jim Guthrie and Rep. Neil Anderson. Members: Sen. Buckner-Webb and Rep. Gannon(5).

Natural Resources Interim Committee, which is continuing. Co-chairs are Sen. Steve Bair and Rep. Marc Gibbs. Members: Sens. Siddoway, Heider, Brackett, Stennett, Keough (ad-hoc), Patrick (ad-hoc), and Jordan (ad-hoc); and Reps. Bedke, Moyle, Gestrin, Rubel, and Shepherd (ad-hoc).

Study of Occupational Licensing and Certification Laws/Regulatory Reform Committee. Co-chairs are Sen. Todd Lakey and Rep. Gayann DeMordaunt. Members: Sens. Martin, DenHartog and Burgoyne; and Reps. Monks, Manwaring and Smith.