December Legislative Update from Rep. Trail

[RepTrail@infotrail.com]

Dear Visionaries:

I have attached a Legislative Update for December to this email.  If you
find the formatting difficult to read, you may prefer to read it at my web site:

http://www.infotrail.com/idaho/html/12-9-98.html

Update:

All legislators are in Boise this week.  Eleven new legislators are going
through a two day orientation.   Most of us will attend the Associated
Taxpayer Meeting on Wednesday and then we will be electing key leadership
positions in the House and Senate on Thursday.   The 1999 legislative
session will begin on January 11th.
There are two items I'd like to report on.

1.  Tobacco Settlement -- Idaho was among 46 states that signed the $206
billion settlement with the tobacco companies.  The settlement will bring
Idaho more than $712 million over the next 25 years.  Almost $9 million will
be available to the state in 1999, and then the state will receive between
$25 - $ 30 million/year until 2025.  Thereafter, the yearly payments of
about $30 million/year will continue in perpetuity.  According to the  Idaho
State Attorney's Office, there are virtually no guidelines on how the money
is to be spent.  There is some talk that the Federal Government will ask
states to pay back some of the money for medicare expenses.  There will be
many who will want to reduce the budget by an equivalent amount of each
yearly payout.  Others are talking about using the funds to build highways,
bridges, and buildings.  Most legislators, to their credit, are taking a
cautious approach.  Personally, I feel that these monies should be invested
such as in education, which is critical to economic development, and be
directed toward drug rehabilitation and drug/substance abuse education
programs.  The rationale being that the tobacco payoff should be directed
toward problems caused by drug related problems or educational programs
which will benefit Idaho in the long run.  Some specific programs that could
be funded are:
     
a)Substance abuse rehabilitation programs           
     
b)Increased support for Juvenile Corrections County Programs. The facts
clearly indicate that 90% of  juveniles who are placed at the facility in
St. Anthony or go on to prison as adults, have had major substance abuse
problems.  Effective county programs for juveniles only cost about
$2,000/year vs $50,000/year for placement in St. Anthony or similar
facilities.         
     
c)Funding for Head Start.   The national Rand Corporation study released
earlier this year indicated that for every dollar invested in the program
that society realized at least $6-$10 return in the investment.  Positive
academic performance, lower juvenile crime rates, and long term higher
incomes were some of the short and long term results.  

d)Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIPs) -- Idaho provides a match to
Federal dollars to assist in providing health insurance coverage for low
income families.  This is another wise long term investment.
     
e)School facilities:  The recent report, The Outlook for State and Local
Finances:  The Dangers of Structural Deficits to the Future of American
Education, predicts that 11 states will need additional revenue of one
percent a year over the next eight years just to maintain existing services.
Idaho is among the 11.  One of the first priorities would be to address the
hazardous school facilities issue and then review whether or not the state
should provide some match (perhaps 20-25%) to schools needing to build or
remodel.   The issue of the state possibly funding some part of local school
district school construction will be vigorously debated in the coming
session.  In terms of hazardous school facilities where there is a great
life threatening situation, the state may need to take a more vigorous stand
and financially help out the respective school district.

2.  Legislature Plans to Test Web Audio Broadcast During the 1999 Session.
Idaho citizens may be able to tune in with a personal computer to hear live
legislative debates in January.  This is a cooperative project between the
Idaho Public Television (IPTV) and the Legislative Council.  If the
technology works, computers in homes, offices, school classrooms and public
libraries may be carrying live audio of the Senate and House chamber
proceedings over the Internet.  The technology is relatively uncomplicated:
The existing sound feeds from the Senate and House chambers will be used to
supply the programming, and IPTV will send the audio out over its
connections to the Internet.  Computer users with a modem, Internet access
and Real Audio's Real Player or the equivalent Microsoft software (both can
be downloaded free over the Internet) will be able to click on an icon on
either IPTV's or the Legislature's Web site and listen to the floor debates.
The audio links can be found: 

Idaho Public Television:  http://idptv.state.id.us 
Idaho Legislature:        http://www.state.id.us/legislat.html

Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 5