Idaho Lawmakers On Legislative Session Priorities

BOISE, ID – A new legislative session begins Monday.  Leaders in the Idaho statehouse shared their thoughts on what their key priorities are this year with reporters at an Associated Press preview last week.  Scott Ki put together this audio postcard of some of the highlights from Senate and House leadership. We begin with Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, a Republican from Rexburg.

Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill:  “It’s the second session of the elected cycle here.  We know each other a little bit better.  We know what to expect.  We’re not going to spend as much time on things that we know are not going to be successful….. I think we all know the budget is the number one priority.”

House Speaker Lawerence Denney: “I think we will be looking at rules and some of the laws on regulating natural gas.  Also, tax issues there could be a potential cigarette tax, and tax increases and tax reductions.”

Senate Minority Leader Edgar Malepaeai:  “We need to behave in a very ethical way and the only way we need to do that is for us as legislators and leadership is to work together to bring about some sweeping changes in our ethics law.”

House Minority Leader John Rusche: “We will spend a lot of time on the health exchange which to me is a no brainer. If we don’t set up a state exchange, we don’t get to define what our minimum essential benefit package is. We don’t get to define what players are and I think that will be the detriment to our domestic insurance carriers.”

Copyright 2012 Boise State Public Radio