With the first week of the session coming to an end, I wanted to share what happened. Traditionally, the first task of the legislature is reviewing all the administrative rules of the various state departments. This is an imperative and daunting task as it is the opportunity for the Legislature to oversee and ensure that the state executive departments are administering with competence and good faith for the people of Idaho. As the vice-chairman for the Health and Welfare committee I have been busy, not only reviewing each of the rules, but also meeting with various administrators and getting in-depth knowledge of the rules and the intention of the administration. The other committees that I serve on are Finance and Judiciary. The Finance committee has been meeting daily already to deal with the budget. The Judiciary committee will start meeting next week. Addressing other issues facing Idaho, I have been working with other legislators to begin crafting legislation. The looming State Health Care Exchange and the detrimental effects it and other pieces of Obamacare will have on Idaho and the country has been a challenge. Other issues include Medicaid reform, restoration of lands back to the state, and protecting our fundamental rights--especially the right to keep and bear arms, and to preserve the right to trial by jury. The Session is moving forward and gaining traction as we begin to move this week from procedural tasks to administrative rule-making oversight—working to make Idaho a better state.
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