Little says the advance warning will give hospitals and other medical facilities time to adjust. He says they will likely lose the federal help they’ve been getting after the declaration is rescinded.
The governor defended the declaration and its duration, more than two years. He says the federal government covered more than a quarter-billion dollars in costs that otherwise would have been borne by the state. He says that has allowed the state to enjoy a strong economy during the pandemic and an historically-large budget surplus. The legislature has approved state income tax cuts this year.
That same legislature is working to take the disaster declaration decision away from the governor.
“What the state of emergency actually does is it consolidates all the power under the executive branch and the idea of separation of powers is there to protect citizens’ freedoms," said Rep. Heather Scott [R-Bonner County], who sponsored the legislative resolution.
Opponents, such as Jerome County Republican Laurie Lickley, say they support the intent, but say the constitution allows the governor to make this call.
“We’ve got over 500 federally-contracted health care workers working in the nursing industry and helping out in our long-term care facilities. That is costing more than six million dollars a week to bring in. Yes, that’s pretty expensive, but right now we need those health care workers and if we end this too soon with the legislature getting involved, we’re going to end up back in a crisis standards of care situation," she said.
The resolution was approved 42-to-25 and goes to the Senate.
Little says opposition to the emergency declaration is rooted in misinformation and misunderstandings about what the declaration allows and what it doesn’t allow.
