vision2020@moscow.com: March 17 Legislative Newsletter
March 17 Legislative Newsletter
Tom Trail (ttrail@moscow.com)
Mon, 17 Mar 1997 11:01:53 -0800
>Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 11:00:45 -0800
>To:trailsteven
>From:ttrail@moscow.com (Tom Trail)
>Subject:March 17 Legislative Newsletter
>
>
>
> MARCH 17 LEGISLATIVE NEWSLETTER--TOM TRAIL, DISTRICT 5
>
> 1. INTRODUCTION--My legislative newsletter is now on the Internet. You
> can check in by contacting http://users.moscow.com/ttrail/
>
> 2. LEGISLATIVE WINDUP--The legislative session should be history by
> Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll send out one last wrap up late next
> week. I'm leaving for Africa on March 23rd on a month assignment
> with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. This is
> sponsored by the State Department. I'll be evaluating famine mitigation
> and agricultural education programs.
>
> I'll be sending out bi-weekly reports after I return from Africa.
>
> 3. STATE TAX FLOW--The month of February showed a $4,500,000 drop in
> tax revenues as compared with February of 96. Idaho is about $10,000,000
> behind in tax revenue intake as compared with January and February of
>1996.
> This is a continuing indication of a slow down in the state's economy.
>
> 4. SB 1150--MANAGED HEALTH CARE--A framework for providing managed care
> services won final legislative approval. The bill addresses concerns
> that patients who cannot see the doctor of their choice in managed
>care
> plans that employers are using to save money The bill requires
>managed c care plans to pay for
>some portion of
> the health care that members receive outside of the plan's network.
> A key component of the bill is a grievance process for patients denied
> care and a prohibition on gag clauses that would prohibit doctors from
> prescibing treatment not available in the system.
>
> 5. INCOME TAX PAYMENTS ON LOTTERY WINNINGS--This bill passed the Senate.
> Lottery winners who win more than $600 will pay state income tax. The
> bill is anticipated to generate about $1,000,000 to the state treasury,
> and the funds will be used for juvenile justice programs.
>
> 6. OUTSTANDING RIVER DESIGNATION--A bill that would designate the Selway
> River from its headwaters to the wilderness boundary, the Middle Fork
> of the Salmon River, and Bear, Running and White Cap creeks as outstanding
> resource waters appears to have new life. The bill was killed in
> committee, but pressure from many legislators "encouraged" the committee
> to cast a favorable vote. This is an outstanding bill and we need it
> to help protect our clean rivers and wilderness areas. This may be one
> of the most important environmental bills of this decade.
>
> 7. HB 342--This is the bill that would provide a $500 tax credit for home
> schoolers and families sending students to private schools. Sponsors of
> the bill agreed not to push for passage during this legislative session.
> The bill will be introduced again in 1998 with a request for a $1,000
> tax credit. There are major Idaho constitutional concerns with the bill.
>
> 8. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKING UNIVERSITY COURSES--A bill introduced by
> Rep. Wayne Meyer would allow high school students to attend college on
> a full-time or part-time basis. The bill is intended to promote
> rigorous academic pursuits by providing talented students to get a head
> start on their university education. It allows students to get either
> college or high schools credits or both for the work. The cost of paying
> the added college tuition is left up to the school district. There are
> 800 high schoool students now taking college courses. It is estimated
> that in another two years as many as 3,000 students may enroll in
> university courses.
>
> 9. HIGHWAY 95--The major bill to improve highway 95 was killed by a 5-4
> vote in the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill was passed by
> the House earlier last week. Major opposition came from South Idaho
> Senators who protested raising the price of fuel by 4 cents a gallon
> and car registration by $12. This is a disappointment for those of
> us who feel that a major resolve is needed to make highway 95 a true
> connection to link the state together. This bill will be reintroduced
> again next year.
>
>10. SOIL CONSERVATION COMMISSION MOVES TO AG DEPARTMENT--This is the result
> of a compromise between the Governor and the Legislature. The move will
> strengthen the state's ability to coordinate the work of agencies to
> work together to help clean up Idaho waterways. The Legislature will
> monitor the progress of moving the SCC from the Department of Lands to
> the Agriculture Department.
>
>11. SENATE BILL1003--The House passed a bill that will make most restaurants
> pay an annual $55 fee for inspections. The fee was needed to pay for
> inspections in a restaurant industry that has grown by 50% in 10 years.
> There are over 9,200 restaurants in Idaho. The state ranks high in the
> number of food-borne illnesses. It is 3 and 1/2 times higher than the
> national average. The food industry supported the bill.
>
>12. HB 220-TAKING OF PRIVATE BY GOVERNMENT ACTION BILL--This bill passed the
> house but was held up in the Senate. This appears to be a very complex
> bill. Developers have concluded that courts should be the authority
> on local planning rather than the public. Under the bill taxpayers
> would compenstate them for speculative losses in property. The bill
> would also lock out the public interest in land use planning. Realtors
> and developers support the bill. The bill needs a great deal of work
> before it is reintroduced in the next session.
>
>13. TOUGH PENALTY BILL FOR POACHERS APPROVED--The bill increases fines
> geometrically with each additional animal illegally killed and allows
> revocation of hunting or fishing licenses for up to life. Agreement
> on the bill came after provisions for the elimination of the seizure
> of private property was excluded. This is a good bill, but we need to
> monitor it to see if it needs to be strengthened in the future.
>
>14. CAMPAIGN REFORM--This measure supported by Governor will come up
> Monday for the House vote. I feel in general it is a good bill, but
> there is one very troublesome section. This section would require
> the Idaho Education Association and labor unions to get written
> permission every year from members to continue collecting checkoff
> dues for political services. There is substantial legal opinion that
> this section is unconstitutional.
>
> I would like to either see the section eliminated or in essence
> include every organization who assesses members directly or indirectly
> for monies utilizes in political campaigns. This might include
> share holders in a company or members of an organization like the
> Farm Bureau. There is a serious question of fairness in this issue.
>
>15. TAXES IN GENERAL--Rep. Miller and I voted against Rep. Bruneel's property
> tax bill. This bill would have raised the sales tax by 1.25 cents to
> generate $140,000,000 for property tax relief. We need to review the
> total array of tax exemptions now granted in Idaho. These exemptions
> represent about $300,000,000/year. Some of these exemptions may be
> justified, but all exemptions should be reviewed every 5 or 10 years
> to see if the exemption is justified.
>
> We need to put on more pressure to collect the estimated $70,000,000
> to $200,000,000 in unpaid Idaho taxes. Unpaid taxes are in one sense
> paid for by taxpayers who pay all of their taxes. JFAC voted down a
> proposal to add two more auditors to the tax commission. These auditors
> would have gone after non-tax payers.
>
> Rep. Miller's looks at reviewing exemptions, improving the collection
> system, and taxing a limited number of services. I believe this is our
> best means of generating money for property tax relief.
>
>16. WRAP UP--You be receiving my last report on the current Legislature
> session late next week.
>
> REP. TOM TRAIL, DISTRICT 5
>
>
>
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
2039 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel: (208) 882-6077
Fax: (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com
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