| All rights reserved. |
ERIK SIMPSON
Idaho State Representative
District 32-B
District 32-B
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Web page last updated
March 9, 2010
March 9, 2010
Please feel free to email
me directly at
esimpson@house.idaho.gov
me directly at
esimpson@house.idaho.gov
Simpson serves on the
following committees:
Environment, Energy,
and Technology
Commerce and Human
Resources
State Affairs
following committees:
Environment, Energy,
and Technology
Commerce and Human
Resources
State Affairs
Bill status
To see all bills being
considered by both the
House and Senate,
click on the following
link.
To see all bills being
considered by both the
House and Senate,
click on the following
link.
Voter ID bill passes House vote
A bill that would require Idahoans to present photo identification or a personal identification affidavit
before voting passed the House floor recently and is now being considered in the Senate.
House Bill 496, sponsored by Republican Majority Leader Mike Moyle, would prevent voter fraud (i.e.,
someone voting in an election using another's name). Rep. Moyle said he intends to strengthen the
integrity of the absentee ballot process as early as next year.
Health Care Freedom Act closer to becoming law
The Idaho Health Freedom Act was recently approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee and is being
considered on the Senate floor. If passed, the bill would exclude Idaho citizens from being forced to
purchase health insurance, as being proposed by the federal government. The bill also authorizes the
hiring of an attorney to sue the federal government if a mandatory health care reform measure passes
the Congress.
When the Idaho bill was introduced on the House floor, partisan debate ensued. All 52 Republicans
supported the measure; all 18 Democrats opposed it.
JFAC sets budget targets for FY-10,-11
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee has approved General Fund budget target numbers for
fiscal years 2010 and 2001. The committee agreed to a figure of $2.28 billion for FY 2010 and $2.29
billion for FY 2011.
Beginning March 1 JFAC begins setting budgets for FY 2011. The education budget, which typically
amounts to just over 50 percent of the General Fund, will be the first set by the committee. Health and
Welfare and Corrections budgets will soon follow. Those three budgets represent nearly 95 percent of
the General Fund.
You can watch JFAC meetings live at the following link, then press the JFAC Video button.
Ban on text messaging while driving gaining
support in Legislature
A bill that would ban text messaging while driving is gaining support in the Senate. If passed by both
houses and signed by the governor, the law would make texting while driving akin to inattentive driving.
The bill sailed through the Senate Transportation Committee and heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
Conscience rights legislation passes Senate
A conscience rights bill that would allow medical professionals to opt out of administering emergency
contraception, participating in embryonic stem cell research, or being involved in end of life decisions
has passed the Senate. The bill heads to the House State Affairs Committee next.
Conscience rights have existed for medical personnel since the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that
legalized abortion. The Idaho bill expands that protection.
A similar bill that granted conscience rights protections for pharmacists passed the House last year, but
died in the Senate.
A bill that would require Idahoans to present photo identification or a personal identification affidavit
before voting passed the House floor recently and is now being considered in the Senate.
House Bill 496, sponsored by Republican Majority Leader Mike Moyle, would prevent voter fraud (i.e.,
someone voting in an election using another's name). Rep. Moyle said he intends to strengthen the
integrity of the absentee ballot process as early as next year.
Health Care Freedom Act closer to becoming law
The Idaho Health Freedom Act was recently approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee and is being
considered on the Senate floor. If passed, the bill would exclude Idaho citizens from being forced to
purchase health insurance, as being proposed by the federal government. The bill also authorizes the
hiring of an attorney to sue the federal government if a mandatory health care reform measure passes
the Congress.
When the Idaho bill was introduced on the House floor, partisan debate ensued. All 52 Republicans
supported the measure; all 18 Democrats opposed it.
JFAC sets budget targets for FY-10,-11
The Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee has approved General Fund budget target numbers for
fiscal years 2010 and 2001. The committee agreed to a figure of $2.28 billion for FY 2010 and $2.29
billion for FY 2011.
Beginning March 1 JFAC begins setting budgets for FY 2011. The education budget, which typically
amounts to just over 50 percent of the General Fund, will be the first set by the committee. Health and
Welfare and Corrections budgets will soon follow. Those three budgets represent nearly 95 percent of
the General Fund.
You can watch JFAC meetings live at the following link, then press the JFAC Video button.
Ban on text messaging while driving gaining
support in Legislature
A bill that would ban text messaging while driving is gaining support in the Senate. If passed by both
houses and signed by the governor, the law would make texting while driving akin to inattentive driving.
The bill sailed through the Senate Transportation Committee and heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
Conscience rights legislation passes Senate
A conscience rights bill that would allow medical professionals to opt out of administering emergency
contraception, participating in embryonic stem cell research, or being involved in end of life decisions
has passed the Senate. The bill heads to the House State Affairs Committee next.
Conscience rights have existed for medical personnel since the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that
legalized abortion. The Idaho bill expands that protection.
A similar bill that granted conscience rights protections for pharmacists passed the House last year, but
died in the Senate.
Did you know?
Representative Erik
Simpson has received
an A rating from the
National Rifle
Association
Representative Erik
Simpson has received
an A rating from the
National Rifle
Association