State
Senator Nuxoll's weekly legislative report
 This
bill is to help the dredge miners so that they can work efficiently without
being stopped by the EPA and the DEQ for not having a proper permit.
Please come to testify if possible.
Ken Harvey from Orofino is presenting a Property Owner Annexation bill on Tuesday at 3:00 pm in the Senate Tax and Revenue Committee. This bill permits property owners the right to vote on annexation by cities with a population less than 8000. This right to vote is for property owners where the parcels to be annexed are less than 100. The current law does not allow a vote on annexation for those property owners. Please come to support this right of property owners. JFAC: the wolf depredation control board reported that 31 wolves that had bothered livestock in 2014 were removed via helicopter for a cost of $143,000 or $4600 per wolf. They are taking preemptive action when they hear of wolf sightings. The board still believes that the best and least expensive control of wolves is by hunting. In the Finance committee, EPA has proposed 3 rules devoted to controlling greenhouse gas emissions from stationary sources. Idaho Power and Avista that have power plants are subject to this rule. The rule’s target is 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 compared to the 2005 emission levels. What is this going to cost the taxpayer? Also, we held a meeting to address the EPA air quality standards and forest projects for Shoshone County with the director of the DEQ , Department of Lands, a representative from Senator Crapo’s office, Representative Shepherd, myself, and other officials. Lately, the EPA has made the air quality standards so strict that Shoshone County is considered in violation of these air standards, although the county argues that the EPA has not taken accurate readings of the air quality. If this situation is not rectified, the residents in Shoshone County will have to buy new stoves and the stove companies will have to make expensive stoves to comply with the EPA regulations. Could this be similar to the destruction of private industry by carbon credits? Eventually, these air standards will be applied throughout the state, not just Shoshone County. Concerning logging in the forest, Senator Crapo agreed to meet with all the District 7 legislators to discuss forest projects in more detail by using the governor’s plan for 2014. The IEN was discussed in the Finance Committee, but there is no definite decision yet as to how to come up with an effective solution. Our rural schools need the broadband system from the state to stay online. We are hoping for the next contract to be examined thoroughly to avoid any case of crony capitalism. In Senate Health and Welfare, Director Dick Armstrong presented options for expanding Medicaid to cover approximately 78,000 of Idaho's poorest adults. He said the proposed plan would allow individuals below 100 percent of the poverty line to qualify for Medicaid coverage. Adults earning 100 percent to 138 percent of the poverty line may purchase private insurance on Idaho's health insurance marketplace using federal dollars. It also includes an opt-out clause in case the federal government alters its funding in the future. But Health care reform should be helping citizens out of Medicaid, not into it. Presently $716 billion is being stolen from Medicare to pay for Medicaid. We also have a doctor shortage in Idaho, and this will only make the situation worse. When our government is $17 trillion in debt, how can we expect to use more federal dollars? We do need to help these people, but not through federal money. The way to control a country is through their health programs. If this passes, we definitely will have fallen into a socialistic state. Opportunities to become self-sufficient are our answer, similar to the Florida plan. The Physician Physical Presence bill was presented in the House on Thursday. This bill would require the physical presence of a doctor when performing a chemical abortion due to complications of ectopic pregnancy, stage of development of the unborn, and bleeding issues. Planned Parenthood has a nationwide plan (including operations here in Idaho) to implement web-cam abortions which would allow the doctor to be hours away from the patient. I am the sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts about increasing the Gas Tax to improve the infrastructure of our roads and bridges? ~ Senator Nuxoll |
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