State
Senator Nuxoll's weekly legislative report
 PARENTAL RIGHTS The Senate approved HB 113 to add to existing law to affirm the rights of parents. This legislation reaffirms the fundamental rights of parents for the care, custody, education, and control of their children. This right aligns with the unalienable rights of freedom of religion, speech, and the right to assemble in our Constitution. Although the state of Idaho has had no court cases in which this right has been downgraded, there was a 2000 Supreme Court Case in which this fundamental right was not acknowledged and several appellate court cases and other state cases where the fundamental right has been downgraded to an ordinary right. H 113 would ensure that our Idaho courts are aware that the legislature has codified this basic fundamental right of parents. I was the sponsor of HB 113 in the Senate. WEB CAM ABORTIONS The Senate approved HB154 to amend existing law to require a physician to conduct an in-person examination and counseling of a pregnant woman prior to prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. Webcam abortion involves using the RU486 abortion drug which is administered via a video conferencing system with an abortion provider in another satellite location. Complications arise from inaccurate dating of the gestational age of the baby, inability to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, and hemorrhaging and infection. Of reported cases, there have been at least 14 deaths and more than 600 women have been hospitalized. Studies show that complications are four times higher for chemical abortions than surgical abortions. I was the sponsor of the legislation. CANNABIDIOL (CBD) OIL ,SB 1146, provides a way for the use of cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which some parents believe reduce the number and duration of certain forms of epileptic seizures in children and adults. It provides an affirmative defense for the possession of or use of cannabidiol (CBD) oil in very narrow circumstances. Opponents of this legislation voiced concerns about the lack of scientific evidence, negative impacts on law enforcement, and where the illegal plant would be grown and sourced. I voted for this bill since is makes available an effective hemp-based medication that can reduce seizures for people living with epilepsy and it does not legalizes marijuana in Idaho. NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS LICENSING , H 181, provides a framework for those naturopathic or chiropractic physicians who have graduated from an accredited Naturopathic Medical School and passed a national exam to become licensed. This legislation also establishes a board consisting of a medical doctor, a pharmacist, and naturopathic physicians. This board allows for naturopathic physicians to practice to the scope of their training, while not infringing on others that are providing natural health care services. This allows those providing different services than that of physicians to continue to be called doctors, not impacting their current practices. It has been a struggle amending this bill to satisfy all the naturopaths and doctors. The vote will be Monday. JFAC— Schools Operational funding—JFAC approved a 6.5% increase or a $2000 increase per support unit for school maintenance. This is also an increase in general maintenance to bring maintenance up to original levels. School net will be funded locally. LHTAC—$250.000 was appropriated for an independent audit of the operation effectiveness of LTHAC mission to assist Idaho’s local highway jurisdictions. Fish and Game—the budget for Fish and Game was changed since the House voted not to fund the purchase of the 10,400 acre Rock Creek Property in Blaine County. This reduced the Fish and Game budget by $2.3 million. Fish and Game may be trying to obtain the property next year or by other means. Health Care Sharing Ministries and Health Savings Accounts, SCR 125, asks for Congress to pass laws allowing health care sharing ministries (faith based ministries) to be used with Health Savings Accounts. I was the sponsor of this legislation as it recognizes the mutual benefit for Idahoans to choose between participation in a Health Care Sharing Ministry or purchase of a high deductible health insurance plan. Human Trafficking, H 183, amends Idaho Code to allow non-profit anti-human trafficking organizations to place signs and posters that contain contact human trafficking hotlines in and around rest areas alongside State and Interstate Highways. I was the floor sponsor in the Senate, but credit goes to a young high school teenager from Careywood who started this idea—Savannah Hicks. Interstate Compact for Lands, H 265, creates the ability to enter into an interstate compact on the transfer of public lands and establishes how the compact would operate. In the 2013 legislative session, HCR 21 was passed to establish the federal lands interim committee to study transfer of federal lands to Idaho. One recommendation from the committee was to pursue the creation of a compact with the other 14 western states. I am a cosponsor of this legislation. ~ Senator Nuxoll |
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