This will be my last Legislative newsletter. The session will wind up
tomorrow, and I'll be headed back to Moscow. I received around 1,800
e mail messages and sent back about 1,400. I estimate that I'm reaching
about 400-500 citizens. The Kendrick Gazette has been publishing
the newsletter. The paper has about 1,000 subscribers, and I'm
also sending out by mail about 100 newsletters. Sometime next week
I'll give you my score card on the Legislative session. Anyone who
wishes to communicate with me should use my Moscow e mail
address ttrail2moscow.com
1. SB 1297--SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION--This is the Child
Protective Act which was crafted by Attorney General Al Lance.
The sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act provides a
central registry of offenders. School districts will receive the
listing for sexual offenders in their areas, and the public and
organizations can also obtain the information. The bill passed 68-0.
2. SB 1298--JUVENILE SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION--This bill
This bill establises the Juvenile Sexual Offender Registration
Notification and Community right to Know Act. A list of names
will be sent to the superintendent of Public Instruction to distribute
to schools. This law requires Juveniles who commit sexual
crimes to register (ages 14-18). It also provides treatment for
juveniles convicted as adults and provides penalties for
vigilantism or other misuses of information obtained under the act.
3. LILI PROJECT FUNDED--The Linking Idaho Libraries Project was
funded with monies from both the Educational Technology Grant
and a JFAX appropriation. LiLi will provide more than 800
public facilities access to more than 12,000 research journals,
magazines, etc. Schools, libraries, university libraries, etc. will
have access to the data base. Many libraries will be able to
save money on not having to suscribe to very expensive
research journals because they can access them through Lili.
4. GOOD SAM BILL NOW ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK--The Good
Sam bill provides Health and Welfare the opportunity to grant
waivers to non-profit care facilities like Good Sam to provide
home care services. In the past Good Sam provided residents
with home care services at $100/month. Legislation passed in
97 prohibited facilities like Good Sam from providing these services
Residents then had to pay for services from an outside provider.
These costs often ran up to $1,500-$2,000/month and forced
a number of residents to leave Good Sam for lesser accomodations.
This legislation has the potential to save the State a great deal of
money.
5. HIGHWAY 95--This bill will come up tomorrow in the House. At
this point if the bill passes it will go on the November ballot as
a Citizen's Advisory. I talked with Sen. Jack Riggs (Sponsor)
and he said he just didn't have the votes in the Senate to pass
the bill. So if it clears the House tomorrow it will go on the
ballot. It will at least keep the issue in front of us, and it will
also force candidates for Governor, etc. to take a position on
this most important issue.
6. CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL BONDS--This bill was held in the House
Education Committee. There were still several concerns voiced
from the banking and bond financial area. Everyone agreed
it is an excellent concept, and all parties will work together
to kraft an acceptable bill for the next session. The bill proposes
that the State would back the bonds and help school districts
obtain a AAA bond rating. This would mean savings in terms
of interest, insurance, and premium to school districts.
7. SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS--A compromise bill will
be introduced tomorrow in the House. The bill would phase in
a 3% increase per year over the next four years for elected
state officials. It would raise the salary of the Governor to
about $102,000 by the year 2002.
8. GOVERNOR'S PRISION REFORM BILLS PASS--The impact of
this legislation should be to slow down the flow of minor offenders
to our overcrowded prisions. Over 75% of those sent to prision
last year were nonviolent offenders, ie. drunk driving, driving without
a license, and writing bad checks. Reduced sentences, workcamp
experience, increased counseling, and probation followup will
be utilized.
9. TERM LIMITS--The Senate voted 22-11 to call for a Citizen's
Advisory to be placed on the November 3rd ballot. The vote
would serve as a guide to lawmakers who would still have to
pass legislation repealing or modifying the initiative.
10. GIFTED AND TALENTED FUNDING--For the first time since
1992 JFAX appropriated $500,000 for gifted and talented
programs. The money will be utilized to train district personnel
working with gifted and talented programs. About 10% of
the students in K-12 in Idaho are classified as gifted, but
less than 3% are participating in talented and gifted programs.
Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 5
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