Idaho Legislature Bits and Pieces

By Sharon Fisher, 2-08-08

	Caption: Sharon Fisher

First, a report from the Baby Committee

On Tuesday, Representative Brent Crane, R-Nampa, reported to the House that he had heard a rumor that his wife had had their son. He stated that he went home and checked with her and was able to report that “she is still duly pregnant.” However, on Friday it was reported first via the Chaplain and then Speaker of the House Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, that she has now given birth.

In other baby news, Representative Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, reported on Wednesday that he had a new grandbaby – and that he had driven to McCall and back the night before to take the pictures he was brandishing – and Representative Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, has been talking about a new grandbaby as well.

And now a report from the TMI Committee

Perhaps as a way of fighting off the side effects of all those cushy lobbyist meals, the House and Senate are in their third year of a pedometer competition that helps members raise money for donating to charity. In particular, this year features the “Golden Sneaker” award, for most miles logged, that gives $2,000 to the Special Olympics.

Friday, John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, rose to address rumors that he had been wearing his pedometer in the shower, and said that he was working with Regence Blue Shield of Idaho to determine the number of steps in the shower so he didn’t need to wear it there.

This led John Rusche, D-Lewiston (who is a physician the rest of the year) to rise in his turn.

“Will the gentleman from District 21 yield to a question?” Rusche asked formally.

Speaker of the House Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, checked with Vander Woude. “The gentleman yields,” Denney responded to Rusche.

Rusche went on to ask “the good gentleman of 21,” that, if he were indeed wearing his pedometer in the shower, “what was it clipped to?” to general hilarity.

Denney told Vander Woude he didn’t have to answer and Vander Woude made a big show of being obedient to the Speaker’s wishes.

Hey, You Over There with the Gavel

My sister and I used to make fun of my dad for calling us by not only each other’s names but also our mom’s name before he would finally settle on the correct name.

Members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee are no exception. Co-Chair Senator Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, has been addressed as “Madame Chair,” and Co-Chair Representative Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, has been addressed as “Mister Chair.” For their parts, both chairs have referred to Senators as “Representative” and Representatives as “Senator” (a much more common mistake, for some reason).

It’s okay, we’re all getting punchy.

We Had Fun Last Night, and You Didn’t

Like college students telegraphing their attendance at a cool fraternity party by bragging about their hangovers in front of stuffy non-Greeks, Democratic legislators seemed to make a point of apologizing to their Republican compatriots for their hoarseness the day after the Ada County Democratic Caucus. Both Senator Elliot Werk, D-Boise, and Representative Les Bock, D-Boise, mentioned it during the session on Wednesday, with Bock explicitly stating he’d “done a lot of screaming” last night.