The House State Affairs Committee voted unanimously to introduce Rep. Grant Burgoyne’s plan to limit legislative sessions to 90 days in length, but not without some reservations.
The bill comes on after the second-longest session in state history in 2009, which went for 117 days. It is estimated that the Legislature costs Idaho taxpayers $35,000 per day.
Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, expressed concern over the limitations the plan would impose on the lawmakers. Anderson said that the proposal would work for lawmakers with homes in or near the Boise area, but would unfairly affect those legislators from the northern reaches of the state. He added that if the 90-day mandate is met but more work is required, it would prove difficult for North Idaho lawmakers to find apartments and sign leases in short periods of time.
The bill now moves before the full House for consideration.
Read IdahoReporter.com’s first story on the the Burgoyne plan here.
