state politics: idaho

Bit and Pieces from the Idaho Legislature

By Sharon Fisher, 2-22-08

Sharon Fisher

Would that be Dead-icated funds?

Like driving off still attached to the gas pump, something that the co-chairs of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee have had to repeat over and over throughout the session is reminding speakers to remove the clip-on microphone from their ties and lapels when they leave the podium. Representative Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, in particular, likes to tease people that if they walk off with the microphone, it’ll come out of their budget. (Even Senator John McGee, who as a former JFAC member should have known better, had to be reminded.)

Representative Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, spoke on Monday to JFAC regarding the Office of Drug Policy, and similarly started away without removing the mike.

“If you don’t take the mike, we won’t have to take it out of your drug money,” Bell said.

“What drug money is that?” Clark responded.

Ooo! Ooo! Call on me!

Because many votes in JFAC involve money, by definition, most votes are taken by roll call. Roll calls typically start with the chairs, then first with the Senators and next with the Representatives.

But on one vote last week, the person taking the roll call vote accidentally skipped over Co-Chair Senator Dean Cameron, R-Rupert.

“How about starting with me?” Cameron interrupted, explaining “I like to go first.”

How about you decide?

After a vote is held, part of the routine is to ask whether anyone wishes to change their vote (or “his or her vote,” depending on who’s doing the asking) before finalizing it. Particularly in JFAC, it is unusual for someone to change their vote, but on Friday morning, it happened.

“Anyone else wishing to change their vote?” asked Bell, who was chairing that morning. “Anyone in the audience?” and then she apologized for her levity.

The first rule is, never talk about Fight Club

Occasionally you’ll hear House legislators make reference to a Rule, without ever actually explaining what Rule it is. For example, legislators will ask permission to violate Rule 22 – which typically forbids them from referring to other legislation in progress. (Want to see the whole list?)

Less often heard is a request to do away with Rule 70 – or, typically these days, “Rule 70, except smoking.”

Rule 70 refers to House decorum and states that representatives will not eat, drink, or smoke in the House, and will dress appropriately.

In other words, somebody was probably handing out goodies.

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