UPDATED 3 pm
Protesters and a call to Governor Brad Little to drop the state's Covid emergency declaration were the highlights of today’s [Tuesday’s] Idaho special legislation session.
In the first case, dozens of people filled an auditorium where a House committee was set to hear a bill that would limit Covid-related legal liabilities for businesses and schools. One activist sat at a table reserved for reporters, claiming to be a credentialed member of the media. When Idaho State Police officers asked him to move, he refused and was arrested. That angered many others in the audience. Legislators left the hearing room.
Earlier in the day, the House of Representatives today [Tuesday] sent a clear message to Governor Brad Little during a special session debate.
“Mr. Speaker, the citizens of the state of Idaho feel that they have endured enough and it’s time to remove the emergency declaration. It’s time to return to normal. Not a new normal, to normal, to freedom, to liberty, to being Americans in a free country," said Rep. Christy Zito [R-Hammett], one of 48 legislators who approved a resolution calling on the governor to formally end the emergency.
The sponsors say they passed it, understanding the governor can simply end the current state of emergency and then make a new declaration.
That took the debate to a deeper level. Members say the governor has misused his authority and the executive branch has too much power in Idaho.
House Majority Leader Mike Moyle said next session will be a good time to address that. But for right now, he said, Idaho is a state divided. He referenced an incident yesterday in which crowds of people trying to get into a legislative hearing room, broke a glass door.
“Guys, this is not good," Moyle said. "I watched what happened in the building yesterday. Our friends are fighting amongst our friends. What happened yesterday should never have happened. It should have been handled in a different way. I know we’re all treading on ground that we’ve never been to before. It’s new to us. But, come on, guys, we all have a common goal.”
The non-binding resolution passed the House 48-20 and now goes to the Senate.