Skip to main content

Idaho Enterprise

Rep. Clay Handy, D27

This last week we finished all of our Budgets with the exception of the K through 12 education budgets.  We would have finished except for Governor Phil Batt’s passing.  I met him years ago when he was in the senate and again as governor.  I have always been very involved in the Trucking Association.  He was very pro transportation as a governor.  Hopefully you have been able to learn more about his amazing service to Idaho.

As we have done the budgets we have removed the cash transfers going for big projects till after all budgets have been heard.  We will be doing all the cash transfers in one bill.   If nothing changes and it comes out in one bill it could be as much as a Billion and a half dollars.  I have had continued calls on lots of the programs that will be funded with these dollars. Hopefully by next week everyone will be funded for the programs that have been held.  It is one of those chairman choices initially with committee input later.

Tomorrow I will have a bill on the floor.  The bill allows young men and women to expunge their juvenile records at the end of three years from completion of requirement.  It is presently five years.  The juvenile justice people are excited about the bill.  I also got unsolicited support from the Idaho Association of Councilors.  I have wanted this changed for a long time.  It will give kids hope and opportunity for going to school, better work opportunities, housing, borrowing, missions, and many other opportunities.  Statistically an expunged record increases the chance of success by four times.  That would be great.  Once you don’t have a record you don’t want it back.  I think I mentioned that a few weeks ago on the clean slate bill.

We are still waiting on the big issues.   No property tax legislation yet.  No education decisions on ESA’s or any other program that may have a big impact on the cash flow.