Thread by @TiffaniDeems

Good morning! I cannot seem to wake up on time but that's ok. Today will be difficult to keep track of because many meetings are happening at the same time. We hate when this happens. Makes it hard to follow. #idpol #idleg
tinyurl.com/ID-Leg-Agenda Click for agenda and rooms.

Some things potentially helpful this morning in House Ed are Rep. Mathias RS 30134Abuse of School Employees, and Rep. Lantings RS 30139C1- No school on election day – Student Safety. We really love our teachers and students and want them safe. Stay tuned! #idpol #idleg

Potentially new crappy things to watch for are-
House State Affairs Rep. Skaug's RS 30172-Indexing unemployment benefits to the state’s unemployment rate.
Rep Alfieri's HB 75- VOTING – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding voting by absentee ballot.
#idpol #idleg

House Health and Welfare- Can't forget about Rep. Young and her discriminatory HB63- Counselors and Therapists not taking clients based on personal beliefs.

All of the above is happening at 9am this morning. I will update as much as I can.

Rep. Young wants to protect Freedom of Conscience. She is invoking James Madison heavy. I really dislike this woman. She is citing the 2005 Code of Ethics, saying it allowed for culturally and clinically appropriate referrals. In 2014 that apparently shifted. #idpol #idleg

Rep. Wheeler is asking how this would overcome the conflict of ethics will American School Counselors Associations and American Counselors Association. Young says they are writing statute and they will need to conform. #idpol #idleg

Young said this legislation makes it ok for a counselor to immediately disclose their values to the client. She is using an extreme, totally useless example of a woman wanting to be a slave to her husband and how a counselor might be uncomfortable with that... lol. #idol #idleg

Rep. Rubel asking what a patient will do if there is only one counselor because of insurance or geography and they are rejected? Young refers Rubel to her telehealth bill.... as if telehealth is the best option.

This is a bad bill. It protects the counselor, not the patient.

Rep. Young says the bigger problem is the emails committee received from all the counselors about how this would violate their code of ethics. She says its simply not true. Rep. Dixon is curious and seems confused as to why this is needed. #idpol #idleg

Rep. Wheeler said he doesn't want to see additional 988 calls because of this legislation. Rep. Young says we aren't requiring counselors to be unkind. They can handle this just fine.
Rep. Wheeler said that when a client is transferred that is potentially damaging to a client.

Rep. Young says associations are opposed to this and it gives her pause.

You know what gives me pause? Legislators who ignore professionals who know what they are doing. Idiot.

Rep. Dixon is asking how we define "sincerely held principles?"
Young said there is a great deal of case law and ended her answer there.

Heading to testimony now. This is going to take some time.
First up is Dr. Chad Yates, ISU Counselling Dept. testifying against the bill.

Another counsellor testifying. She said on the surface this may seem ok, but if passed it puts client safety at risk. She said the waiting list for counseling right now is already months long, regardless if its in person or telehealth. This legislation will make it worse.

She said this legislation is dangerous because it absolves clients from patient care when clients are at the highest risk for completing suicide. Counsellors in Idaho oppose this legislation, and she urges committee to do the same. #idpol #idleg

Peggy McFarland is testifying now in support of this legislation. Peggy is a faith based LCPC out of Middleton, and that is fine. She is allowed to do that, but this does not have to be the way for everyone. psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/…

Dr Liz Horn from the University of Idaho is testifying now against the bill. She said a big part of her job is to help students move past their fears and help students move past their fears, become aware and solidify their own values and not impose those values on clients. #idleg

Mark Hand MSW, LMSW, Behavioral Health Consultant, testifying in support of the bill. He works with YOUTH in Kamiah, Idaho. He is the director of a youth non profit, apparently.

Rep. Young closing out now. Said we are talking about a fundamental freedom of conscience. She said I bet a lot of people in the room came from another country in pursuit of that very freedom and no association or anyone else should require an individual to check it at the door.

Roll call vote to hold the bill in committee being taken now-
6 ayes, 7 nays. Motion failed.
Vote to move to house floor now-
Motion passed, 7 aye, 6 nay.
I doubt this passes the house floor but we shall see. #idpol #idleg

Rep. Young presented Rep. Skaugs RS 30172 this morning. Indexing Unemployment Benefits- When unemployment is lower, we pay at a lower rate.
Rep. Gannon asked for practical examples of how it would reduce benefits. What would weeks be reduced to? #idpol #idleg

Young- Currently it’s 20 weeks, this bill would set the floor to 12 weeks for full employment. As fewer jobs are available, the state will pay more.
Uniform throughout the state.
Passed for print. Will not be routed back to State Affairs.
HB 75 was not ready. #idpol #idleg

Moving to House and Senate Floors now, will update here as needed.

HB 25 and HB 46 held for a day. #idpol #idleg

Hearing debate on HR 3 from Rep. Barbieri- House Rules 6 and 10 regarding the introduction of bills. Allows personal bills to be accepted longer. Rep. Crane debated in favor. Rep. Scott debating against saying it helps the minority party too much. #idpol #idleg

Moved to the Senate floor for now.
Senate Bills 1058, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1062, 1063 will be referred to the Judiciary and Rules Committee for printing.
#idpol #idleg

Senator Herndons SB 1005 unanimously passed the Senate. Moves to the House.
Amends existing law to require that daycare facilities provide citation to the immunization exemption law in communications with parents.
#idpol #idleg