Bills of Interest
2008 Legislative Session
February 25 through February 29, 2008
Bills Introduced in the House
H0557 – AGRICULTURE -- Permits open burning of crop residue when approved by the Department of Environmental Quality; sets permissible air quality levels for such burns; amends public records provisions to provide that information regarding open burning is not exempt from disclosure.
H0558 – GOVERNMENT – Requires the Constitutional Defense Council to submit an annual report to the Legislature.
H0559 – ABORTION – Requires the Department of Health and Welfare to post information on the Internet regarding the services available to assist women through pregnancy and at and after childbirth, physical characteristics of a fetus, and abortion procedures including complications and risks; requires physicians to provide pregnant patients inquiring about an abortion with the address of the website providing such information before or while scheduling an abortion-related appointment.
H0565 – WATER – Provides that an owner of property vested with riparian or littoral rights shall not be deemed to have transferred or abandoned such rights to the state by virtue of a right-of-way deed or easement granted to the state prior to March 4, 1953.
H0575 – CHILDREN – Modifies the definition of “teens at risk” in the Children’s Mental Services Act to include all individuals attending Idaho secondary public schools exhibiting certain symptoms.
H0576 – NAME CHANGES – Requires a person seeking a name change to submit a criminal background check.
H0579 – TAXES – Allows voters in a taxing district to limit the property tax portion of the district’s budget by initiative petition and a two-thirds vote.
HJR002 – FISH & GAME – Amends the Idaho Constitution to provide that the people have the right to hunt, fish, trap and harvest wild game, subject to reasonable rules approved by the Legislature, that traditional means of taking wildlife not prohibited by federal law are reserved to the people, and that hunting, fishing and trapping are the preferred method of managing and controlling species under state control.
HJM008 – WATER – Memorial supporting and encouraging studies of additional water storage projects.
HJM010 – WATER – Memorial expressing the view “that the U.S. Forest Service should be prohibited from interfering, pursuant to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, with the legitimate use by private landowners engaged in light ranching and farming operations.”
Bills Introduced in the Senate
S1441 – FIREARMS – Prohibits counties, cities and other political subdivisions from regulating the sale, acquisition, transfer, ownership, possession, transportation, carrying or storage of firearms or ammunition; allows such subdivisions to regulate or restrict the discharge of firearms, with certain exceptions.
S1442 – MOTOR VEHICLES – Amends the provisions relating to driver’s instruction permits; provides that the time period of supervised driving time is to be not less than six months.
S1446 – LOBBYING – Amends the provisions relating to lobbying to provide that “executive official” includes any deputy or staff member of an elected state executive branch official who is directly involved in major policy influencing decisions; amends definition of lobbying to include developing or maintaining relationships with, or promoting goodwill with, or entertaining members of the Legislature or executive officials; adds a reporting requirement for lobbyists; amends I.C. § 18-1356 to extend the prohibition on acceptance of pecuniary benefits to executive officials.
S1447 – PUBLIC EMPLOYEES – Amends I.C. § 67-5761 to provide that the advisory committee on group insurance plans shall include participants from all three branches of government; makes several changes to eligibility for the state health insurance plans for liability, including: beginning July 1, 2008, retirees and their spouses will not be eligible if they are both eligible for Medicare; beginning July 1, 2008, eligible retirees shall receive $155 per month toward their health insurance premiums; employees will be eligible for health care coverage in the future if they were employed before July 1, 2008, are eligible for a retirement benefit with at least 20,800 hours of credited state service, and retire directly from state service.
S1448 – ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – Amends I.C. § 67-5201 to provide a definition of “guidance document” and amend the definition of “rule”; deletes the ability of the Legislature to amend or modify rules.
S1449 – WATERWAYS – Increases civil penalties for encroachment violations that cause substantive harm to lakes.