week 8 review

The state exchange is in the House, where it is awaiting a hearing in the House Health and Welfare Committee. The new bill will be a combination of S1042 and H179. I am concerned that the outcome will not be much better. This bill will be heard in committee next week, probably on Wednesday or Thursday.
The House has passed two bills that ensure and further extend our second amendment rights. The first one, H0183, prohibits cities and counties from being able to ban or regulate concealed carry. The second one, H0192, creates a new class of concealed weapon permit called Enhanced Concealed Carry. This new permit will allow those who choose to get it, to be able to carry concealed in more places. The Senate is working on S1133, which is a measure that will require schools and county sheriffs to work together to create school safety plans, and ensure that schools have minimum standards for threat deterrents. H0219, which prohibits state employees and officers from enforcing any new federal gun law, is still waiting for a hearing.
S1082, the EMS voluntary license plate bill will be voted on next week. This bill is a way to recognize and show appreciation for our volunteer EMT's throughout Idaho. This not only helps show our appreciation but also allows EMT's to be more easily identifiable if one was to respond off duty to an accident.
The Healthcare Ministries bill has passed the Senate with great support and is on its way through the House.
This week, several education measures have been brought up to address our public education system including; requiring teacher contract negotiations to be conducted in public, cursive handwriting in public schools, and increase funding for charter schools. Any new education bills will not change tenure or scope of negotiations.
The JFAC Budget process should be finished up by next week, which is a crucial step in the law-making process and is an indication of where the legislature is at, as far as being finished. I would like to cut the Medicaid budget which comprises 80% of the Health and Welfare budget, but that may have to be done through legislation. Medicaid is making our fiscal debt bigger in state and federal government without providing the ability and dignity for people to climb out of poverty level. Medicaid should provide choice for the recipients of Medicaid as well as competition to keep health costs under control. Lastly, JFAC received interesting remarks from various state agencies as to the effects of Washington DC not getting its finances in order are once again effecting Idaho.
https://chumly.com/n/1a9205d