Judging from comments made Wednesday by a key figure on the transportation panel, the measure likely won’t get a warm reception from the committee.

“This is the third time I’ve heard this bill and this is the third time it’s been a bad bill,” said Rep.  Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, vice chair of the transportation panel.

But the sponsor of the measure, Boise Democratic Rep. Phylis King, insists the plan could ease traffic congestion in the Boise area while allowing more people to travel back and forth between downtown and the Nampa area.

The bill would not require that carpool lanes be installed on Interstate 84, the major thoroughfare for the Treasure Valley, but would instead allow individual highway districts to implement as they see fit.

Carpool lanes are allowed in counties with less than 25,000 residents and in certain recreational areas, though none have been implemented in the state.  King’s bill would repeal the prohibition and allow the lanes wherever highway districts dictate.

At least on lawmaker from a rural part of Idaho didn’t see the need for the lanes anywhere in the state.  “Where am I going to put an HOV lane on that one?” said Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, who said that any highways in his county are two lanes.  “We’d have to build extra lanes in order to put this into being.”

King countered, saying the idea is primarily for the Boise area.  “Treasure Valley might have the greatest possible need,” said King, adding that the bill would force no action, but would give highway districts more options to help traffic flow. “If we just allow this tool to be given to the Idaho Transportation Department or your highway district, then it’s something they would look at.”

Palmer attempted to kill the bill, but his move failed on an 8-10 vote count.

Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Soda Springs, told committee members that he has used lanes in the Salt Lake City metro area on his way to “important football games” and found them quite useful.  Rep. Max Black, R-Boise, noted that there are “important football games” in Boise that residents of Caldwell might like to attend with the help of carpool lanes.

That’s what Emmett Republican Rep. Carlos Bilbao wants to know and he is even using his own money to fund his quest for the answer.

Bilbao told IdahoReporter.com that he has been in talks with officials from Montana about a pilot project that will test the total privatization of Medicaid.

The Emmett Republican is spending his own money to travel to Montana later this year to study the project.

The idea, says Bilbao, is to save money in the long run by using private entities to maximize efficiencies within current processes.  And though nothing has been set motion, the Emmett Republican has already fielded two calls from companies interested in administering Idaho’s Medicaid program.

Montana formally proposed the project in 2010 and was granted permission to begin it in 2011.  Only five counties are participating in the project, though they are some of the most populated in the state.  The state has put out a request for proposals for companies that are interested in becoming the program administrator and is awaiting closure of the 90-day bid window.

Mary E. Dalton, state of Montana Medicaid director, says the project aims to garner at least 10 percent cost-savings for the program by turning delivery duties over to one private entity.  Dalton said the state is choosing a single company to run the program because there are not enough enrollees for two companies to split customers.

The experiment is a true test for the private sector writes Dalton in a report about the project.  ”The opportunity exists to test the popular assertion that privately managed health care can be delivered less expensively than health care delivered by state government,” she wrote.

A managed care operation is one that works within networks to effectively guide patients to lower-costing treatment options.  The organization also contracts with doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes in order to maximize fiscal efficiency.  Under the Montana plan, the company would get a set dollar amount to perform administration, plus a share of any savings gained under the plan.

Bilbao told IdahoReporter.com Friday that the idea may be one that helps solve Medicaid funding problems in the long term and may bring down the per-patient cost of delivering health programs.

Montana has the highest cost per patient for its Medicaid program, spending about $6,400 per enrollee.  Idaho is fourth in the northwest, shelling out approximately $5,100 per person.  Oregon and Wyoming are above Idaho in per-patient costs, while Utah and Washington are lower.

There will be no legislation about the idea this year, said Bilbao, and probably not in the next session, either.  The lawmaker says that he wants to examine the Montana pilot project and gauge its effectiveness before working on a plan for Idaho.

If it achieves significant cost reductions, Bilbao plans to push the proposal and work toward essentially trimming down the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to a bare-bones staff who would only provide oversight for the managed care company. “We have to make sure we’re not paying for something we don’t want,” he explained.

But that doesn’t mean a rise in Gem State unemployment, Bilbao says, because state staffers could go to work for the private company.  “The company would be coming to Boise, Idaho,” he said, “and they would probably need some help.”

Bilbao isn’t the only legislator searching for a new way to deliver Medicaid services.  Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, and a handful of lawmakers joined together in a conference call earlier this week to discuss the Rhode Island Medicaid model, which puts a cap on the amount the state can spend on health services while giving officials more flexibility to deliver benefits the way they see fit.

Both plans are being examined to see if the state can achieve overall savings without cutting deeper into optional – but necessary – services like aid for the mentally ill.  “We are charged by the [Idaho] Constitution to take of those who cannot care for themselves,” concluded Bilbao.

The Emmett Republican will continue to monitor the Montana project for the time being while working to get more Idaho lawmakers on board.  He says GOP leadership is supportive, but he has yet to talk to House Democrats about the project.

Leadership only had one vacancy to fill; the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, held by Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, until his retirement this year.  Only one chairman who headed a committee in the past two years lost his spot, while most of the other chairmen were simply moved to different posts within the House.  Rep. Bob Schaeffer, R-Nampa, lost his position as the chairman of the Commerce and Human Resources Committee.

Here are highlights of the larger committees and new chairmanships:

Appropriations

With the Legislature facing what could be a $400 million shortfall in 2012, leadership likely wanted the budget-setting process to be handled by experienced leaders. Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, will continue to serve as chair of the committee, and Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell, will serve as vice chair.  The panel will feature two new additions in Reps. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, and John Vander Woude, R-Nampa.

Hagedorn said the appropriations committee was his top choice for panel assignments because he believes he can make the tough decisions ahead.  “I think we need people who don’t have a problem looking at the data and making decisions,” Hagedorn explained.  “I think it will be a great learning experience.”

But is the Meridian Republican ready to trim down government $400 million if tax revenues don’t pick up? “I think we have to be prepared for that,” Hagedorn said.  “I don’t see where we have many alternatives.”

Health and Welfare

Observers of the process in the Idaho Legislature could argue that this could be one of the more important committees in the next two years.  It has been estimated that the Medicaid program  – overseen by this panel  –  could be short $168 million.  Lawmakers on the Health and Welfare Committee may be asked to tweak programs and alter department rules to squeeze every dollar and find more efficiency within the department.

Rep. Sharon Block, R-Twin Falls, chaired this committee in the past two years, but her duties will now be handled by Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls.  Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, will serve as vice chair, replacing Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home.  Newcomers to the panel include Reps. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, and Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon.

McGeachin told IdahoReporter.com Friday that she plans to bring a more active approach in addressing problems surrounding health care in the state of Idaho.  “We haven’t been doing enough to work on policy to reform our health care delivery systems and promote policies that reduce health care costs,” McGeachin said.  “I am going to ask my committee members to come to work with those ideas in mind.”

In serving on the committee for the past eight years, the Idaho Falls Republican feels the committee wasn’t very strong in dealing with the Department of Health and Welfare and that the panel had become a “rubber stamp” for policies developed by the agency.  That will change in 2011 as McGeachin prepares to take a more authoritative stance with the department.  “We are – the Legislature is – the policy body for the state of Idaho,” she said.  “We need to be more active and work harder on the policy side.”

Revenue and Taxation

Like Health and Welfare, this could be one of the most important committees of the 2011 legislative session.  Maybe leadership recognized that fact because Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, will again take charge of this committee and the vice chair assignment – Rep. Gary Collins, R-Nampa, – remains the same.

Several tax options have been discussed in preparation for the new session, but no proposal has gotten more attention than an increase on the tax on cigarettes.  Lake says he will allow a hearing on the plan in 2011, a courtesy he didn’t extend this year.  The Blackfoot Republican says the idea is not about raising money for state coffers, but it rather about discouraging smoking in the Gem State.  Several members of his committee are skeptical, including Collins, who says he will hear the pitch for the bill, but notes that he has never voted for a tax increase on cigarettes or alcohol.

Committee members may also hear proposals to reduce tax rates, including a plan to cut the state’s personal and business income tax levels in a decade-long process.  Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Eagle, hinted earlier this week that lawmakers may consider tax cuts as a way to lure businesses to Idaho and grow the economy.

Transportation and Defense

Transportation and Defense is another important committee because, like every other area of government, more money is needed.   A task force met in the past two years to find a solution to road funding, but offered no solid conclusions.  The committee could be vital in implementing reforms or small changes within the Idaho Transportation Department.

Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, will take charge of this panel in 2011 and 2012.  The vice chair will remain the same, with Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, fulfilling that role.  Newcomers to this panel include Reps. Jeff Nesset, R-Lewiston, Julie Ellsworth, R-Boise, and Bill Killen, D-Boise.

Judiciary, Rules, and Administration

Clark headed this committee through the past several years, but Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry will take control when the Legislature convenes in January.  Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, will work as a vice chair, taking duties over from Smith.

Commerce and Human Resources

Block will take the reins of the committee, which handles some economic issues and hears reports on Idaho’s efforts to develop trade relationships with other nations.  Rep. Steve Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, will serve as vice chair.

Ways and Means

Wills headed this committee, which met only a few times during the 2010 legislative session.  This committee is made up of the most powerful members of the Idaho House – leadership teams of the two parties – so it might only be fitting that the longest-tenured representative would serve as the chairman.  Rep. JoAn Wood, R-Rigby, who has served in the House for 28 years, will head up this panel in 2011 and 2012, and there will be no vice chair.  This committee is used to rush legislation through the process if needed and is also utilized by leadership to kill legislation.

Other Committees

Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, remains as the chair of the Education Committee, and Rep. Mack Shirley, R- Rexburg, continues as vice chair.  Rep. Max Black, R-Boise, will again head up the Business Committee, and Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, will carry on as vice chair.  Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, is head of the State Affairs Committee, though he will have a new vice chair through the next two years.  Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, will fill that post, a spot previously held by Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake.

For a full list of committee assignments and chairmanships, visit IdahoReporter.com’s directory here.

The proposal came before legislators on the last day of the 2010 legislative session in a push to get all budgetary bills through both houses of the Legislature.  Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, said that the $12 million appropriation for bonds was significantly trimmed by members of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), the group of lawmakers which sets budgets each year.  Henderson said the original requested amount brought to JFAC was $26 million, but lawmakers didn’t see that as appropriate.  He said the cut was made by eliminating all non-necessary projects and by keeping only money for right-of-way purchases, which are paramount to future construction projects.

Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, spoke in favor of the bonds.  Bilbao urged lawmakers to support the legislation because he feels that a quality roadway infrastructure is necessary in attracting new businesses to the area.  He also said that funding for roads is a matter of public safety and that less-than-necessary funding could have dire consequences.

“Are we willing to sacrifice more people to inadequate highway?” asked Bilbao.

He was joined in his urgings by Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian,  who told lawmakers that he would vote for GARVEE bonds for the first time because he said that he felt that the trimmed-down use of the bond money is the correct purpose of the program.  Hagedorn warned that underfunding the bonds would lead to delays in road construction projects that would enhance the development of the state.

For others, the debt caused by the program warranted opposition during debate.  Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, told legislators that public debt is unnecessary because “there is no rush” to purchase land.  He argued that because of the declining economy, if the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) waits to purchase the land, it could save money as land prices continue to drop.  Smith also decried the indebtedness the purchase of land would bring.

“ITD is now addicted to debt and we are now providing the narcotics for ITD’s addiction,” said Smith.

Rep. JoAn Wood, R-Rigby, the chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee, said that the debt is a good reason to oppose the budget.

“What we are doing is handing our children a legacy of debt,” said Wood, who said that the state must expend $51 million to serve GARVEE debt in fiscal year 2010, an amount which will grow in the future.

“There’s no way out unless we raises taxes,” said Wood, who speculated that members of the House would likely see transportation-related tax increases in the next legislative session to deal with shortages in highway funding and GARVEE debt.

Just before the vote, Henderson offered his opinion on the debt.  ”We are concerned about debt, but we are also concerned about opportunities which are right before us,” said Henderson.  House members then voted 44-24 to approve the bonds, which now head to Gov. Butch Otter for consideration.

Hart’s plan would not require employers to use the E-Verify system as Jorgenson’s plan does, but it would strongly encourage employers to utilize the system as a means of providing themselves a “safe harbor,” as Hart called it, against prosecution.  Under the proposed plan, employers would be punished for “knowingly” hiring illegal immigrants continuously.  Hart said that he simply wants employers to “play by the rules” and follow the laws already in place.  He added that employers are provided with another line of defense against prosecution, which is the federal I-9 process, which also allows employers to check the worker’s legality, but in a much less timely process than E-verify.  According to Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, employers must use either the E-Verify system or the I-9 process to ensure an employee’s legality within three days of hire of an employee.

If an employer is found knowingly employing an illegal immigrant, he could face a suspension of his business license for up to a year on a third offense.  Hart designed the bill to have a “three strikes” clause that would help discourage hiring of illegal immigrants, and created a three-year window in which employers could accumulate the strikes.  Upon the commencement of a fourth year, Hart said, employers could wipe their slates clean of the strikes.

Similar to another bill pitched in the committee today, Hart’s bill would also punish potential employees for the use of fake documents to garner employment.  The plan would enable counties as well as the state attorney general to ensure enforcement of the law, a provision of the bill which was of concern to Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart, D-Boise.

“We’re putting a burden on the counties and state attorney general’s office,” said Pasley-Stuart.

Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, said that as a representative of many soft fruit companies in his district, he is concerned about the legislation’s impact on those interests.  Bilbao said that many of the employees of fruit picking operations work too quickly and move on to the next area, thereby not allowing employers to adequate time to check their identification with the federal government, which, he said, can sometime take days.

Hart responded that an employer in that situation would not be prosecuted because they would no longer be employing the workers in question.

The bill was introduced with one dissenting vote, cast by Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise.

In an interview with IdahoReporter.com following the hearing on the matter, King said that she believes that immigration is a problem that should be solved on the federal level.

“We already have a federal law on the book … no one is complying with that, what makes you think we’re going to do it with the state law?” asked King.  ”I think there will just be a lot of non-conformance.”

King said she is in favor of studying increases in the numbers of migrant workers allowed in from other countries because she believes they are crucial to Idaho’s economy.

“It’s going to be a huge cost to Idaho if we lose these workers,” said King.

The committee will hear more debate on the issue in upcoming weeks.  The bill can be viewed online here.

Bilboa cited the costs of cleanup as his reasoning for bringing the legislation before the committee.  During his testimony, Bilbao said counties, cities, and business owners are being forced to absorb the cost of removing or painting over the destruction, which can sometimes have up to a $10,000 price tag.

The legislation could also apply to those who shoot and leave bullet holes in roads signs because it is a matter of public safety, said Bilbao. He said he is particularly concerned about motorists who drive in the middle of the night and may miss warning sign because the sign has been shot up or painted over.

If the measure is passed, it would become a felony to desecrate a road sign or a building if the cleanup costs exceeded $1,000 or on an offender’s third conviction of a graffiti-related offense.   In an interview with IdahoReporter.com, Bilbao said if the legislation is passed as in its current form, it would allow judges the power to sentence offenders to jail terms and require those offenders to work while serving the sentence, instead of “sitting around on their fanny doing nothing in jail.”  Bilbao did not specify what any sentencing maximums of minimums would be if passed.

Police have a good idea who is doing the graffiti as a result of pattern study and paint analysis, said Bilbao.  He explained success rates in catching so-called graffiti artists are on the rise thanks to the new methods.

The committee voted unanimously to introduce the legislation and will hold a hearing on the matter at a later date.