Rep. Pence: Legislative Report Week 4

The week began with the news of Senator Stennett’s impending surgery. I am thankful that he was up and moving around quickly and was released Thursday. He will be in all our prayers as he continues his treatments in pursuit of recovery.

The Senate Education committee was scheduled to take up the iStars and We Teach Bills last Wednesday, but action was postponed. It appears neither of these concepts have enough approval to make it through committee. There is an effort to salvage the concept of rewarding effective teachers with additional pay. This may take the form of fewer steps or reduced amounts for each step. With tax income falling below expectations, legislators are wary of ongoing commitments of this magnitude. Any bill which ties relinquishing a continuing contract to eligibility to receive a step up the career ladder, will not get my vote.

One of the results of this summer’s Interim Water Resources Committee is H404. It asks for $20 million over ten years to develop aquifer planning and management throughout Idaho. These funds will be used to provide technical studies, facilitation services, hydrologic monitoring, and for the development of measurement and comprehensive plans for these aquifers. Water is becoming a valuable commodity and the need for comprehensive plans aimed at achieving aquifer sustainability is a necessary long-term goal. These plans will also provide data which will help to protect Idaho’s water as we confer with Washington officials over cross boarder water issues near Coeur d’ Alene.

Speaking of water, what about the snow this week? I trust it extended to the east as well. If so, it would go a long way in easing the anxiety over those pending shut down orders on irrigation wells all along the Snake River Aquifer.

The State Board of Education recently released a 113-page report concerning Medical Education in Idaho. This preliminary study was contracted to MGT of America. This report documented that a significant need for more physicians exists in Idaho. In addition the following results were noted:
· Access to physicians by the general population is extremely limited.
· Many of Idaho’s physicians are 55 or older and nearing retirement.
· Idaho’s population base is sufficient to support the clinical part of medical education.
· There are a number of highly qualified Idaho students seeking medical education.
· Idaho is dead last among states in the number of seats available in medical education.
· Less populated states have supported medical schools for years.
· Healthcare is an important component in the national economy, but much less so in Idaho.
· Idaho’s limited investment in medical education makes us ill-prepared to compete for a share of the rapidly expanding biomedical industry.

As a result of this report, the following four alternatives for medical education were identified.
· Create a new university–operated medical school on the distributive model. Sixty - one hundred students could be enrolled per class. Students take introductory courses on the university campus for two years and complete two years clinical training at several sites across the state (lead to a M.D. or equivalent degree)
· Expand the package of contract programs with medical schools in other states. (University of Washington and University of Utah, Others?)
· Develop a new joint medical school from current medical education resources. This approach would draw from the medical education resources of the three state universities.
· Expand graduate medical education (residency) programs in the state.

The Board spokesman, Mark Browning, emphasized that a cost benefit analysis of the data will be forth coming and will be important in any decision. A Medical Education Study Committee has been formed and will be meeting from March through May. Included in their proposed activities are public meetings at five sites around the state in April. Twin Falls is one of the sites and would be a good place to voice your opinions.

Recommendations from the committee are scheduled at the June Board Meeting. If you want to look more closely at the report, it is available through the Office of the State Board of Education [click here].

If you are in town, drop in and personally give me your opinions.

Otherwise, phone me at 1-208-332-1271, e-mail at dpence@house.idaho.gov, or write P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0038

Rep. Jaquet: Legislative Report Week 4

Thank you to so many of you who have touched base to check on Senator Clint Stennett. Clint is recuperating from his surgery at his Boise rental house and is planning to come back to work shortly. He gets to look forward to chemo/radiation, but he’s a tough guy and we know that he’ll be setting records for his recovery!

I’m hoping to see many of you at the Senator Barack Obama Rally on Saturday, February 2. The doors open at 7:00 am and I’m intending to be there between 7 and 7:30. I believe that Obama is our best chance for change. He has ignited young and old people around his candidacy. He represents a transformation regarding business as usual in Washington DC. I’m planning on attending my caucus in Blaine County, Tuesday, February 5. I’m carpooling with Jon Thorson, who is sitting in for Clint, and with Commissioners Schoen and Bowman who will be in Boise for a County conference.

Food tax: The Republicans introduced a complicated expansion of the grocery tax credit this week. I’m hoping that the Chairman of the Rev and Tax committee will allow us to introduce our bill which takes the sales tax off food over a six year period. There is also a Republican bill which has a similar approach. It’s so much easier to do it at the cash register!

School construction bond subsidy access: Several years ago a safe schools bond program was developed which was utilized by seven school districts including Wendell. Wendell had tried to pass a bond for a new middle school. Their old school had been condemned. The second time around with the subsidy it was successful. Now, Wendell would like to present a new request for voter consideration which includes an agriculture/technology and athletic expansion. We discovered that Wendell, because they had taken advantage of the first program, would not be able to access the new program which all districts now had the benefit of. Today I’m presenting legislation which will open this back up to the 7 districts including Wendell. The chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee has asked to be a co-sponsor.

Energy Efficient State Energy Act: This week in the House Environment Affairs committee this bipartisan bill passed out of committee and it will now go to the House floor for a vote. The bill will require all major state buildings, and building renovations, to be designed, constructed and certified to a standard that achieves energy savings at least 30% greater than the current state approved energy code. I support this bill.

Next Monday is the deadline for draft requests for new legislation. That puts pressure on us to get our bills drafted, reviewed and into the committee chairs. Bills that are not drafted by then don’t have much of a chance to get across to the Senate for approval. I’m scrambling.

Good to hear from so many of you this week. It is always good to have the Representatives from the Association of Idaho Cities.

Let me hear from you: Phone: 1-800-626- 0471 email: wjaquet@house.idaho.gov

Names you will recognize...

UPDATED 2/2/08 8:40PM:
After the original posting, Gov. Cecil Andrus has added his support for Senator Obama. He introduced Obama at today's event... watch it here!

Larry Grant has also provided his endorsement for Senator Obama.

After I made my decision to support Barack Obama, I put forth even more effort to learn more about him. AFTER I decided to campaign for Obama, I found out who else in Idaho is publicly endorsing him.

I can't tell you if knowing this before hand would have hastened my own decision, but I can tell you that once I saw these names below... I knew I had made the right one. -drp

ENDORSEMENT
Jerry and Rickie Brady

Democrats have a host of qualified candidates who could win in November and be exceptional presidents. However the person best suited to our times is Barack Obama.

Why?

The next president must reverse the catastrophic decline in America's moral leadership in the world, a decline that has made us among the least admired nations in the world. Barack Obama can do that.

The next president must cut through the partisanship and divisiveness that have poisoned our public life for 30 years to achieve the unity craved by most Americans. Barack Obama can do that.

As a legislative assistant to Senator Frank Church in the l960's, I had a front row seat for the cascade of critical legislation that followed the death of John Kennedy. Something on the scale of Lyndon Johnson's accomplishments is needed today. If anyone could do that it would be Barack Obama.

The Bush Administration has placed America in a deep financial hole. Any responsible Democrat must reverse the catastrophic rise in the national debt piled on our children while mobilizing a national consensus for universal health care. Those who dug this hole and oppose health care for all will use the filibuster rule in the Senate to resist. In my judgment, Obama has the best chance to rally the nation to override this resistance and renew our country.

Some say Obama should have waited his turn. I say we cannot afford to wait. On many of our challenges, the hour is late and conditions dire. Obama offers the best hope for a breakthrough. Bush, Clinton, Bush and-once again-Clinton does not.

Rickie and I are packing our bags to work for Obama in Nevada come January. We hope Idaho Democrats will do all you can as well.

ENDORSEMENT
Boise City Mayor, Dave Bieter

Dear Obama for America in Idaho:

First, I want to thank the many Barack Obama supporters who turned out in numbers to help me be successful in my reelection as mayor of Boise. Your work made a big difference in my decision of whom to back for president.

But I admit that I took the time between my campaign and before the Iowa Caucus to decide between the candidates. After weeks of following each of them, and before any vote was cast in Iowa, I concluded that I will do whatever I can to ensure that Barack Obama be the next president of the United States.

This is a contentious and often bitter time in America. He is the only candidate who inspires us to push for a future that fulfills the promise our country has always had but too often has failed to fulfill.

Most of all, he is the only one with the courage to speak with hope in a cynical time. He is the right person at the right time for our country, our state and the City of Boise.

IDAHO STATE LAWMAKER ENDORSEMENTS:

State Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett: Dist#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
State Senate Assistant Minority Leader David Langhorst: Dist 16, Ada
State Senator Diane Bilyeu: Dist.29, Bannock
State Senator Mike Burkett: Dist. #19, Ada,
State Senator Edgar Malepeai: Dist. # 30, Bannock
State Senator Elliot Werk: Dist.#17, Ada

House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet: Dist.#25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln
House Assistant Minority Leader George Saylor: Dist.#4, Kootenai
House Minority Caucus Chair John Rusche: Dist.#7, Lewiston
State Representative Les Bock: Dist.# 16, Ada
State Representative Liz Chavez: Dist. #7, Nez Perce
State Representative Margaret Henbest: Dist.#16, Ada
State Representative Nicole LaFavour: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Anne Pasley-Stuart: Dist.#19, Ada
State Representative Donna Pence: Dist #25, Blaine, Camas, Gooding, Lincoln.
State Representative Shirley Ringo: Dist. #6, Latah
State Representative James Ruchti: Dist. #29, Bannock
State Representative Jerry Shively: Dist. #33, Bonneville

OTHER IDAHO ENDORSEMENTS:
· Paul Woods, Ada County Commissioner
· Jim Hansen, Former State Representative, Executive Director - United Vision for Idaho
· Gail Bray, Idaho's National Committeewoman - Super Delegate, Former State Senator
· Grant Burgoyne, Idaho's National Committeeman - Super Delegate, Private Attorney · Mike Kennedy, City Councilman - Coeur d'Alene
· Steve Scanlin, Former State Representative, Private Attorney
· Brian Cronin, Ada County Democrats Chair, 2004-2007

Contact your legislator!

From Senator Clint Stennett (District 25), Senate Minority Leader:
February 27, 2006

Legislators need to be aware that residents are watching how we handle this sensitive issue. There needs to be persistent pressure from the public on legislators to get this issue right the first time. Once this facility is operating, we will not be able to "unring the bell".

Sempra officials told the House Environmental and Energy Committee yesterday that if they passed the moratorium (H689), they would take their industry elsewhere. I only hope that Idaho Legislators will not take that as a threat. This is a new industry to Idaho. We are not set up to address all the concerns this industry will bring along with it. If we permit this industry out of fear and blindly open our borders to this industry without taking the time necessary to set up the crucial processes to protect our resources and the public, we will be selling out Idaho and all the residents of Southern Idaho at this time.

If Sempra cannot respect the time necessary to prepare ourselves for them, then they don't deserve Idaho. Please continue to share your opinions with other legislators, as well as your neighbors, friends and family and ask them to do the same.

Previous entries regarding SEMPRA:
Protect Idaho by supporting HB689!
SEMPRA coverage in the Times-News

Posted at Gooding Drinking Liberally:
Jerome Cty Coal-Fired Power Plant FACT SHEET