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The Idaho Legislature is the place where laws are made that affect every resident of the Gem State. Each year, 105 lawmakers gather at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise for three or four months to make the important decisions regarding everything from taxes to education to health and welfare.Each week during the 2017 session, we’ll update you on what’s happening in the legislature. We’ll follow bills as they work their way through the Stateshouse to become laws. We’ll take a look behind the scenes at what lawmakers are doing and what it means to you. And we’ll put it all in a broader context, as we examine what other state legislatures are doing around the country.We’ll chat with Gary Moncrief, who has years of experience with state legislatures in the U.S. and Idaho’s lawmakers. He’s a University Distinguished Professor of Political Science (Emeritus) at Boise State University. He is a frequent speaker at meetings of state legislators around the country and is the coauthor or editor of six books, including the new second edition of WHY STATES MATTER, available in February of 2017. So tune in to our 2017 Weekly Legislative Update every Friday morning at 6:44 a.m. and 8:44 a.m. on KBSX 91.5.

Legislative Update: Tumult In The Idaho House

Idaho Statehouse Dome
Samantha Wright
/
Boise State Public Radio
Idaho Statehouse Dome

It’s been a tumultuous first two weeks in the Idaho Legislature. It started last week when Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke removed Republican Representative Heather Scott from her committee assignments for comments she made about her colleagues.

The move came after Scott was accused of telling another lawmaker that women in the House trade sexual favors with leadership to secure committee chairmanships. That’s when Representative Christy Perry of Nampa wrote a letter to the Speaker saying Scott displayed aggressive and anti-social behavior during meetings.

This week, five other House members stood in solidarity with Scott and told the Speaker they wanted to be removed from their committees until she was re-instated.

Boise State University Political Science Professor Gary Moncrief keeps us up to date each week with our Weekly Legislative Update. He talks about how and why House Speakers use this type of punishment against Representatives.

Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio

Copyright 2017 Boise State Public Radio

As Senior Producer of our live daily talk show Idaho Matters, I’m able to indulge my love of storytelling and share all kinds of information (I was probably a Town Crier in a past life!). My career has allowed me to learn something new everyday and to share that knowledge with all my friends on the radio.

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