Idaho Senate handles some business, then takes a recess until next week

The Senate took a hike, small cities got a big payday and a Lewiston leader was honored during the 94th day of the 2021 Idaho legislative session in Boise on Wednesday.

Prior to recessing until next week, the Senate approved Senate Proclamation 102, which honors Jon Evans, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of the Lewis-Clark Valley.

Co-sponsored by Sen. Dan Johnson and Rep. Mike Kingsley, both R-Lewiston, the proclamation notes that Evans is the only Idahoan to receive the “Masters and Mentors” Award from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

The award is the organization’s highest honor, given in recognition of individuals who make significant, sustained contributions to their clubs and who demonstrate exceptional professionalism.

Only 83 people have ever received the award. It includes induction into the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Hall of Fame.

The proclamation says Evans “first entered the Boys and Girls Clubs of America as a 10-year-old and has been committed to the organization ever since.”

For nearly four decades, Evans has mentored tens of thousands of young people. Prior to serving as CEO, he was a youth leader and program director. He’s also been a leader in the community, working with business leaders, community organizations and local schools to keep children in central Idaho safe and engaged during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We recognize and congratulate Jon Evans for his induction into the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Hall of Fame, his tireless dedication to Idaho’s youth and the countless number of children he has served,” the proclamation concludes.

The joint budget committee began the day by creating a roughly $2 billion lockbox to prevent Gov. Brad Little and the state Board of Examiners from appropriating any American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief funds without legislative approval.

The move comes in response to last year’s coronavirus pandemic, when the more than $2 billion in federal relief dollars was appropriated after the Legislature adjourned. Although individual lawmakers provided recommendations and input into those spending decisions, the Legislature as a whole was cut out of the process.

Senate Bill 1204 avoids a repeat of that scenario by specifically declaring that all ARPA funds are “cognizable,” meaning they’re subject to legislative appropriation.

“This would require the Legislature to be in session to appropriate those dollars,” said legislative budget director Paul Headlee.

The bill also creates two separate accounts to hold the ARPA funds. One is for the receipt and distribution of the funds; the second would be used for any cost recovery or reimbursement of funds that are used to replace general fund expenditures.

The state expects to receive nearly $5.3 billion in federal funds through the American Rescue Plan. Some of that will go directly to individuals, counties and larger municipalities; however, legislative authorization or pass-through authority will be need for at least $2.5 billion.

Details still haven’t been released on some ARPA funding, such as how much will be available for suicide prevention efforts. That raised concerns for Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, who noted that SB 1204 would prevent the governor from using that money for its intended purpose until the Legislature came back in session.

“I understand the desire (for the Legislature) to be involved in appropriating these funds, and I share that desire,” she said. “But I think this session has shown that we aren’t as nimble as we’d like to think. We have families in need, and I’m afraid we’re going to leave them at risk, without a lifeboat.”

The joint budget committee intends to appropriate some of the ARPA funds over the next several days. Any remaining funds would go into the ARPA lockbox for future appropriations.

“I think we make sure we address the immediate needs, and then it’s good policy to set the balance aside,” said Sen. Jeff Agenbroad, R-Nampa. “We don’t know what the future will look like.”

Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, opposed the bill, saying Idaho, unlike many states, is in good financial shape.

“We don’t need this federal money,” he said.

The committee gave SB 1204 a favorable recommendation on a 14-5 vote and sent the measure on to the Senate for further action.

After establishing the American Rescue Plan lockbox account, the joint budget committee appropriated $50 million in ARPA funding for a contingency fund the governor can tap to pay for needs related to public health when the Legislature isn’t in session.

Authorized uses of the money include paying for COVID-19 vaccine distribution costs, personal protective equipment, communications, public safety and technology needs related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The budget committee also appropriated $51.7 million for the state controller to distribute to 191 Idaho municipalities that are under 50,000 in population.

That’s half the $103.5 million in ARPA funds that will ultimately be distributed to the smaller communities. The money will pass through the State Controller’s Office in two equal payments. The first will arrive by May 10 and must be distributed to the cities within 30 days; the second will arrive no earlier than 12 months later.

Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, opposed the appropriation, along with Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg. Rep. Caroline Troy, R-Genesee, and Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, supported the bill.

Total estimated allocations to communities in north central Idaho include: Bovill, $53,199; Cottonwood, $193,825; Craigmont, $100,830; Culdesac, $78,973; Deary, $106,397; Genesee, $198,980; Grangeville, $667,459; Juliaetta, $123,924; Kamiah, $256,509; Kendrick, $62,890; Kooskia, $136,915; Lapwai, $234,446; Moscow, $5,299,667; Nezperce, $94,438; Orofino, $639,003; Pierce, $121,656; Potlatch, $167,844; Stites, $47,838; Troy, $184,546; Weippe, $91,551; Winchester, $91,345.

After approving a handful of appropriation bills, the Senate took the rest of the week off.

Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, noted that when lawmakers returned from a two-week coronavirus-related recess on April 6, the senators “committed to running as fast as we can to complete (the bills) on our calendar.”

That included morning and afternoon sessions almost every day last week, he said. As a result, the Senate has now handled almost all the work before it.

“We do have a very few number of items left on our calendar,” Anthon said. “They are matters we are eager and anxious to take up, because they’re so important to the people of Idaho. That includes tax cuts, transportation funding and perhaps finding a way to deal with property tax relief.”

Before those items can be addressed, however, the House needs to take action on a number of major appropriations bills.

“We’ve arrived at a place that, in order to take up that vital business, we need to know what we’re dealing with,” Anton said. “We have to know how much (revenue) is available, so we have to finish budgeting.”

In order to give the House time to catch up, he said, the Senate will recess until 10:30 a.m. Monday.

That puts the Legislature in position to complete its work next week. Once that happens, however, lawmakers are still debating whether to adjourn until next January, or possibly simply recess to some future date this summer.

If the Legislature adjourns until January, it currently lacks the authority to call itself back into session. Recessing avoids that restriction and allows lawmakers to come back at a time certain to address whatever issues they choose.

Spence covers politics for the Tribune. He may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.