Idaho House lawmakers are continuing their push to overturn gathering limits amid the pandemic.
Last month, the chamber passed a similar proposal, with Rep. Heather Scott (R-Blanchard) declaring “the pandemic is over.”
Since then, Gov. Brad Little and state education officials increased gathering limits at school sporting events and erased the criminal penalty for anyone who didn’t follow the guidelines.
Rep. Brent Crane (R-Nampa) said he appreciates that move, but that he thinks opening up sports and competitions completely is in the best interest of students.
“I want our kids to understand that we see them, we hear them and we’re going to stand with them and we’re going to do everything that we can to make sure that life gets back to normal,” Crane said.
Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls) agreed. She said having more fans at school sporting events and other extracurricular activities will help boost student morale.
“This is not just about the teams that are playing,” Ehardt said. “This is about our kids at our schools trying to find some normalcy in life because they are struggling.”
Democratic Rep. John Gannon (D-Boise) said he wants more parents and fans in the stands, too, but that he couldn’t support completely eliminating all caps.
The proposal passed out of committee Friday morning and could be heard as early as next week by the full House.
Follow James Dawson on Twitter @RadioDawson for more local news.
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