...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM MST FRIDAY...
* WHAT...An extended period of stagnant air, with light winds
and little vertical mixing.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and northeast and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM MST Friday, and this time may be extended.
* IMPACTS...Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of
pollutants near the surface.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will increase Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday afternoons in portions of the Upper Treasure Valley
(generally in and around Mountain Home) to the point where
stagnation will be limited. However, the majority of the zone
will experience stagnant air and was therefore included in this
advisory.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
An Air Stagnation Advisory concerns itself with meteorological
conditions only. For more information on air pollution in Idaho,
visit website www.deq.idaho.gov. For Oregon, visit website
www.oregon.gov/deq.
If possible, reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to
air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and the use of
residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and
vehicle idling as much as possible.
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House Speaker Mike Moyle in the Idaho House during the organizational session of the Legislature.
BOISE — New House Speaker Mike Moyle stuck to his guns Friday, reducing representation for minority Democrats on the key budget-writing committee by half and saying he thought that was “what’s best for the state of Idaho.”
The move came as the House wrapped up its organizational session on its second day, finalizing all committee assignments and chairmanships as it readies for the upcoming legislative session that kicks off Jan. 9.
Five Treasure Valley lawmakers are taking on new committee chairmanships. Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, will be the Senate co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, will chair the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell, will chair the House Education Committee. And Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, will chair the House Revenue & Taxation Committee; while Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, moves up from vice-chair to chair of the House Health & Welfare Committee.
Moyle, R-Star, told the House before it adjourned, “As time goes on, I hope that you see the wisdom in some of the decisions we made.”
Moyle said Democrats got more committee seats overall, though they lost the key one on the joint budget-writing panel.
House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said, “Obviously I’m deeply disappointed that they are taking this unprecedented move of stripping us of our proportional representation on JFAC ... in a manner that has never happened in modern time.”
“I appreciate that he has accommodated us on some of our other committee requests, but ultimately this loss of one of our members on JFAC is irreparable,” she said.
Yamamoto, the new House Education chair, was an educator for 32 years. She replaces Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, who will chair the House Business Committee.
“We have a new superintendent of schools, and she has presented a well-rounded, focused approach to how she envisions improving education,” Yamamoto said, “and it dovetails with what the governor would like to be done. Now it’s up to the House and Senate to work out the details and find a path forward.”
“I am looking forward to us working together and exploring the different ideas, all with the focus on doing what is best for the children of Idaho,” she said. “It has been a passion my whole life, and it continues to be.”
Skaug, an attorney, said chairing the House Judiciary Committee was “a nice surprise.”
“I didn’t know till yesterday,” he said Friday. “I’m excited to take on the challenge and a little bit nervous.”
Skaug said he’ll have “a good crew – some people that want to serve their constituents well. I don’t think I have anybody with a chip on their shoulder in this committee, and I think that if they do, I’ll knock that chip off.”
The previous House Judiciary chair was Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell; he ran for the Senate this year, but lost to new Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell, in the GOP primary.
The Senate completed its organizational session on Thursday, but the House took until Friday morning before finalizing its committees.
Freshman Rep. Jeff Cornilles, R-Nampa, said, “I got Rev & Tax and Business and Local Government – I’m pretty happy with that. A lot of the questions I got campaigning were on property taxes, so I’ll be able to have some direct input.”
Freshman Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa, said he’s looking forward to working with fellow Nampa lawmaker Skaug on the Judiciary Committee, along with his other two assignments, Revenue & Taxation and Local Government. “I hope that we do something that benefits our taxpayers,” he said, particularly on property taxes, “because we’re all paying them.”
In 2023, the Idaho House will include two brothers, ninth-term Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, and his younger brother, Jaron, a first-term Nampa Republican. The two brothers will serve on two of the same committees: Business, and State Affairs, which Brent Crane chairs.
Monks made an unsuccessful run for speaker of the House; he formerly was the House assistant majority leader. But he ended up in a key role, chairing the House committee where all tax legislation originates.
More typically in recent years, those who’ve run unsuccessfully for legislative leadership posts haven’t been rewarded with committee chairmanships. Moyle, asked why he tabbed Monks for the role, said, “’Cause he can do a good job – he’ll do all right there. … I’m not as vindictive as you think.”
Betsy Z. Russell is the Boise bureau chief and state capitol reporter for the Idaho Press and Adams Publishing Group. Follow her on Twitter at @BetsyZRussell.
