Legislative update
Senator Harris
Senate Bill 1365 as amended (S1365a) was signed by the Governor this week. S1365a is a bill I worked on with the county coroners that directs the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to give Idahoans an option to add next-of-kin to their driver’s license applications. This data base will help coroners and other law enforcement to easily locate the next-of-kin in cases of a death or some other emergency. As our world is changing and phone books are getting thinner and more people are using cell phones, it is getting more difficult to locate people. Some coroners have reported it has sometimes taken several days and even weeks to find relatives of deceased people. This is a good bill and I appreciate the help of the coroners to get it through the legislative process.
The EMS bill I have been working on passed the Senate this week and was transferred to the House to be heard. Senate Bill 1416 (S1416) is a step in the process to help our Emergency Medical Services around the State. Our EMS personnel and districts throughout Idaho are underfunded and often understaffed. Districts are dealing with burnout and problems with retention and recruitment. S1416 begins the process that will result in eventual funding assistance from the State to help with equipment and support. It is important to note that EMS volunteers will remain volunteers and keep their independence. Every district is different, and we want this to stay that way. S1416 also has intent language that will make EMS an essential service in the State as EMS is always on the scene of an emergency doing what they do best. Hopefully, the bill will get a hearing in the House and move forward.
Another issue that I have been working on is some pesticide legislation that has been very interesting. Crazy lawsuits have been in the news the last few years as pesticide companies including Caribou County’s Monsanto (now Bayer) has been sued for billions of dollars. For the past six years, tort litigation centered around pesticide warning labels has created uncertainty about whether U.S. products will continue to be available for our U.S. agriculture industry. The question arises of how much can these companies lose to out-of-control juries before they must shut down and go elsewhere in the world.
The issue locally is the fact that Soda Springs is the only place in the Western Hemisphere that manufactures elemental phosphorus. Bayer employs about 800 of our friends and neighbors. Their kids attend our schools. Our local hospitals, doctors, and nurses take care of them when they get sick, and they buy groceries and parts for their cars at our local shops. These good people who work at Bayer also volunteer in our communities in their churches and schools. In addition, the product created by Bayer is used by almost every farmer in the State of Idaho and in the United States. The sugar beet industry would cease to exist without pesticides. The other crops in Idaho would also be affected. Without Bayer, we would be forced to get the products we use to grow food from China, placing our food supply and our national security at risk as China and Vietnam are the only other places to get what we need to farm successfully.
Doing what we can to help our businesses here in Idaho is important as our communities, economy, and national security depend on whether these businesses can survive. We need to help them focus their resources on sustaining their U.S operations instead of fighting endless litigations. What the legislation we are working on does is address “the failure to warn” as it pertains to pesticide labeling, meaning the existing federal regulations for pesticide labeling should be sufficient as a warning unless a plaintiff can demonstrate in court that they were harmed by the product, or the company acted in a fraudulent way.
We will continue to work on this issue as it is very important for not only our communities and the State of Idaho, but for our nation as well!
As always, I like to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me at: [email protected]. I will do my best to get you answers!!
Rep. Josh Wheeler, District 35
While I hope families back home are enjoying spring break, here in Boise we continue to push forward with the work of the state. Many of the bills we heard this week were related to budgets for various agencies.
The foster care bills I mentioned last week did pass off the House floor this week, and I am encouraged that we will see improved oversight and a better environment for Idaho foster kids and families. I was able to present a bill regarding the Idaho electrical code this week. There was some excellent debate, and it ultimately did pass off the House floor. My international physicians bill needed an amendment on the Senate side, due to a technical change coming from an unrelated piece of legislation. I’m optimistic it will pass, and look forward to seeing it head to the Governor’s desk. Always fascinating to see the ways in which our legislative process plays out, with ample opportunity for correction and improvement.
House bill 596aaS is another example of this process playing out. We will be hearing this bill on the House floor again this week. It seeks to support the many independent pharmacies that serve our communities throughout the state. It puts some guardrails in place regarding potentially monopolistic and predatory business practices. Another example of how helpful it can be for me to hear from local citizens and small business owners.
The committees I serve on have all adjourned subject to the call of the chair. A sign that we are approaching the end of this legislative session. The sun has been shining brightly. While there is still work to do, I can almost taste my families home cooking again, as the work of this year draws to a close.
