2016 RATINGS of IDAHO

Transcription

1 2016 RATINGS of IDAHO #ACURatings Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 ID Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 ID Senate Scores 7 Selecting the 3 ID House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 ID House Scores 11

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, We are pleased to present the American Conservative Union Foundation s ratings for the 2016 meeting of the Idaho Legislature. Like our Congressional Ratings, our State Ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual's life. The Idaho legislators with the highest scores voted most consistently with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and lasting cultural values. In 2015, ACU Foundation was proud to make history by being the first organization to rate every single state legislature across the full spectrum of issues, helping each voter understand how his or her state ranks among the rest. Ultimately, we are trying to help people understand what conservatism is and how it improves the lives of everyday Americans. Conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person. We think that understanding this idea is essential if Americans are to successfully govern themselves again. Working with our policy centers and fellows, the ACU Foundation engages in deep policy analysis to help create our annual state scorecards. We have enhanced the vote descriptions this year to show this effort more clearly. By examining all 50 of our State Ratings, we can see which states have most effectively promoted conservative solutions and which have struggled. Our ratings also help identify legislators who have courageously fought against liberal majorities. We hope that this guide helps you learn how well, or poorly, your legislators work to preserve the values we share. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Charlie Gerow First Vice Chairman Carolyn D. Meadows Second Vice Chairman Bob Beauprez Treasuer Amy Frederick Secretary Thomas Winter Executive Committee Member Larry Beasley Kimberly Bellissimo Morton C. Blackwell John Bolton Jose Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman Kellyanne Conway Tom DeLay Becky Norton Dunlop ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS John Eddy Luis Fortuno Alan M. Gotleib Van D. Hipp, Jr. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser James V. Lacy Michael R. Long Ed McFadden Grover G. Norquist Ron Robinson Mike Rose Ned Ryun Peter Samuelson Sabrina Schaeffer Fred L. Smith, Jr. Matt Smith Ed Yevoli SELECTING THE VOTES ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Idaho Legislature that determine a member s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan s philosophy of the three-legged stool : 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Idaho s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property. Matt Schlapp Chairman Millie Hallow Vice Chairman Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Amy Frederick Secretary Kimberly Bellissimo Jose Cardenas Jonathan Garthwaite Charlie Gerow Colin Hanna Niger Innes Willes Lee Carolyn D. Meadows Randy Neugebauer Thomas Winter 1331 H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2016 WINNERS & LOSERS AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE <= 10 COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE BAYER DEN HARTOG NONINI NUXOLL HARRIS McMILLAN NATE SCOTT n/a Chew King Kloc McCrostie Pence Rubel VICK AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT SENATE GUTHRIE RICE SOUZA HOUSE BARBIERI BATT CRANE DIXON GESTRIN MENDIVE HOUSE MONKS PALMER SHEPHERD SIMS TRUJILLO 4

5 IDAHO SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. S 1263 Highway Funding. This bill allows the state to circumvent the pay-as-you-go rules for highway projects and issue what are known as GARVEE Bonds, bonds that rely on predicted future revenues from the federal government to pay them off. ACU opposes this fiscally irresponsible approach to funding and opposed this bill. The Senate defeated the bill on February 18, 2016 by a vote of S 1248 Charter Schools. This bill removes the requirement that charter schools submit teacher contracts to the State Department of Education for approval by the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction. ACU supports school choice and local control of education and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 22, 2016 by a vote of S 1264 Medical Device Sales. This bill prohibits the sale of durable medical equipment (eg. wheelchairs and hospital beds) to any client more than 150 miles from the provider. ACU opposes this interference with the free market, which is primarily designed to restrict competition, and opposed this bill. The Senate defeated the bill on February 23, 2016 by a vote of S 1339 Oil and Gas Permit Reform. This bill streamlines regulations governing oil and gas drilling permits. ACU supports reforms of a process that take over a year in some cases (comparably, it only take a couple of months in other states) and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 25, 2016 by a vote of S 1291 Education Spending. This bill creates a new $5 million college scholarship program to subsidize certain adults for three years or more to enroll in a government run college or university. The State Board of Education has the discretion to set the rules and regulations for the program. ACU opposes these arbitrary programs at a time when there have been continuing tuition hikes for post-secondary education and opposed this bill. The Senate defeated the bill on March 1, 2016 by a vote of S 1342 Use of Bible Texts in Schools. This bill formally repeals a 1960s law no longer used that restricted the use of Bible texts in schools to those chosen by the State Board of Education and read without comment or interpretation. The new law allows the use of Bible texts for academic study. ACU supports the founders belief in the First Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 7, 2016 by a vote of H 463 Minimum Wage. This bill prohibits local governments from establishing a minimum wage that is higher than the state s minimum wage. ACU opposes artificial wages that hurt those who need the most help in finding employment, such as students and inexperienced workers, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 10, 2016 by a vote of H 486 Barber Licenses. This bill increases requirements for people seeking a barber s license, such as classifying barber schools as postsecondary education institutions and requiring two years of high school for those applying to the barber schools. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that when entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity. Therefore, ACU opposes these licensing regulations that are primarily designed to restrict competition and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 14, 2016 by a vote of H 372 Plastic Bag Ban. This bill prevents local governments from banning plastic bags. ACU believes the government should not limit people s choices in how they take their groceries home and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 15, 2016 by a vote of H 533 Hospital Taxing Districts. This bill allows the board of trustees of a hospital district to appoint two additional members who are not elected by the people of Idaho. ACU opposes this effort to thwart the will of the people by diluting the power of those elected to the board and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 16, 2016 by a vote of S 1389 Concealed Carry. This bill allows concealed carry of a firearm for those aged 21 and older, who are otherwise not prohibited from carrying a firearm. ACU supports the founders belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 16, 2016 by a vote of H 516 Abortion Requirements. This bill sets up an informational program on ultrasound uses for women planning to get an abortion. It requires the Department of Health to compile a list of free ultrasound services and that no abortion be performed until the woman is informed that ultrasound imaging and heart tone monitoring is available. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice and educating patients, and ACU supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 17, 2016 by a vote of

6 13. H 331 Powdered Alcohol. This bill bans the sale or possession of powdered alcohol. ACU opposes bans on safe products, opposes bills that are primarily designed to restrict competition, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 22, 2016 by a vote of S 1404 Harvesting Organs of Unborn Infants. This bill makes it illegal to harvest the organs and tissue of fetuses after an abortion. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and ACU supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 22, 2016 by a vote of H 644 Obamacare Implementation. The Senate amended this House bill to include granting authority to the Idaho Health and Welfare Department to apply for a federal waiver to implement their own version of Medicaid expansion under Obamacare. The bill also includes the launch of what will be a new $5 million per year governmentrun health-care program. Grants will be given to study the unmet healthcare needs of those under 100 of the federal poverty guidelines and develop a new government program to meet their needs. ACU opposes the expansion of a program such as Medicaid that is rife with waste and fraud with no reforms and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 24, 2016 by a vote of

7 IDAHO SENATE SCORES IDAHO SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 61 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 71 LOWEST REPUBLICAN DAVIS 40 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 21 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT SCHMIDT SPARKS IDAHO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District S 1263 S 1248 S 1264 S 1339 S 1291 S 1342 H 463 H 486 H 372 H 533 S 1389 H 516 H 331 S 1404 H 644 ACU ANTHON R X X X n/a 75 BAIR R BAYER R BRACKETT R Buckner-Webb D X X Burgoyne D 16 X DAVIS R DEN HARTOG R GUTHRIE R HAGEDORN R 14 X HARRIS R n/a 60 HEIDER R HILL R JOHNSON R Jordan D KEOUGH R Lacey D LAKEY R X X LEE R Cast LIFETIME AVG 7

8 IDAHO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District S 1263 S 1248 S 1264 S 1339 S 1291 S 1342 H 463 H 486 H 372 H 533 S 1389 H 516 H 331 S 1404 H 644 ACU LODGE R MARTIN R McKENZIE R MORTIMER R NONINI R NUXOLL R PATRICK R RICE R Schmidt D X SIDDOWAY R SOUZA R Stennett D THAYN R VICK R Ward-Engelking D X WINDER R Cast LIFETIME AVG 8

9 IDAHO HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. H 372 Plastic Bag Ban. This bill prevents local governments from banning plastic bags. ACU believes the government should not limit people s choices in how they take their groceries home and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 3, 2016 by a vote of H 380 Tax Cuts. This bill slightly reduces the top income tax rates and increases the grocery tax credit for those in lower brackets by $10. ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that higher tax burdens suppress economic growth, which reduces family prosperity. Therefore, ACU supports tax relief, however modest, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 3, 2016 by a vote of H 486 Barber Licenses. This bill increases requirements for people seeking a barber s license, such as classifying barber schools as postsecondary education institutions and requiring two years of high school for those applying to the barber schools. Research based on the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index shows that when entrepreneurship is suppressed, the resulting decline in economic growth leads to a reduction in family prosperity. Therefore, ACU opposes these licensing regulations that are primarily designed to restrict competition and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 18, 2016 by a vote of H 463 Minimum Wage. This bill prohibits local governments from establishing a minimum wage that is higher than the state s minimum wage. ACU opposes artificial wages that hurt those who need the most help in finding employment, such as students and inexperienced workers, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 19, 2016 by a vote of H 462 Hunting Regulations. This bill eliminates the requirement that a hunter possess a state license to hunt birds and animals by means other than a firearm. Currently only children under the age of 14 are exempt. ACU supports reform of hunting regulations and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 25, 2016 by a vote of H 331 Powdered Alcohol. This bill bans the sale or possession of powdered alcohol. ACU opposes bans on safe products, opposes bills primarily designed to restrict competition and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 26, 2016 by a vote of H 498 E-Cigarette Regulations. This bill classifies e-cigarettes the same as all other tobacco products and makes it a crime to sell e-cigarettes without a license. ACU Foundation s Center for Criminal Justice Reform engages heavily on these issues, and considers all tobacco products a personal liberty issue and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on February 29, 2016 by a vote of H 516 Abortion Requirements. This bill sets up an informational program on ultrasound uses for those women planning to get an abortion. It requires the Department of Health to compile a list of free ultrasound services and that no abortion be performed until the woman is informed that ultrasound imaging and heart tone monitoring is available. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice and educating patients, and ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 1, 2016 by a vote of S 1339 Oil and Gas Permit Reform. This bill streamlines regulations governing oil and gas drilling permits. ACU supports reforms of a process that take over a year in some cases (comparably, it only take a couple of months in other states) and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 7, 2016 by a vote of H 533 Hospital Taxing Districts. This bill allows the board of trustees of a hospital district to appoint two additional members who are not elected by the people of Idaho. ACU opposes this effort to thwart the will of the people by diluting the power of those elected to the board and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 7, 2016 by a vote of S 1248 Charter Schools. This bill removes the requirement that charter schools submit teacher contracts to the State Department of Education for approval by the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction. ACU supports school choice and local control of education and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 8, 2016 by a vote of S 1389 Concealed Carry. This bill allows concealed carry of a firearm for those aged 21 and older, who are otherwise not prohibited from carrying a firearm. ACU supports the founders belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 18, 2016 by a vote of

10 13. S 1342 Use of Bible Texts in Schools. This bill formally repeals a 1960s law no longer used that restricted the use of Bible texts in schools to those chosen by the State Board of Education and read without comment or interpretation. The new law allows the use of Bible texts for academic study. ACU supports the founders belief in the First Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 21, 2016 by a vote of H 628 Rural Education Support Center. This bill creates a new bureaucracy to help rural school districts. It starts with one Support Center and will expand in the future. It also spends money on an awareness campaign to promote the program. ACU opposes this wasteful spending that includes using taxpayer funds for public relations activities and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 23, 2016 by a vote of H 644 Expansion of Government-Run Healthcare. This bill launches what will be a new $5 million per year government-run health-care program. Grants will be given to study the unmet healthcare needs of those under 100 of the federal poverty guidelines and develop a new government program to meet their needs. ACU opposes expanding the role of government in healthcare and programs that duplicates of other programs and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on March 23, 2016 by a vote of but later rejected a Senate amendment that added a version of Obamacare Medicaid expansion to the bill. 16. S 1404 Harvesting Organs of Unborn Infants. This bill makes it illegal to harvest the organs and tissue of fetuses after an abortion. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on these issues and believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 24, 2016 by a vote of

11 IDAHO HOUSE SCORES IDAHO HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 60 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 72 LOWEST REPUBLICAN WOOD 31 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 13 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT RUDOLPH 33 IDAHO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District H 372 H 380 H 486 H 463 H 462 H 331 H 498 H 516 S 1339 H 533 S 1248 S 1389 S 1342 H 628 H 644 S 1404 ANDERSON R ANDERST R ANDRUS R BARBIERI R X BATEMAN R X BATT R BEDKE R X BELL R BEYELER R BOYLE R BURTENSHAW R X X CHANEY R CHEATHAM R Chew D X CLOW R X COLLINS R CRANE R DAYLEY R DeMORDAUNT R DIXON R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 11

12 IDAHO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District H 372 H 380 H 486 H 463 H 462 H 331 H 498 H 516 S 1339 H 533 S 1248 S 1389 S 1342 H 628 H 644 S 1404 Erpelding D Gannon D GESTRIN R GIBBS R HARRIS R HARTGEN R HIXON R HOLTZCLAW R HORMAN R Jordan D KAUFFMAN R KERBY R King D Kloc D X LOERTSCHER R LUKER R MALEK R X X McCrostie D McDONALD R McMILLAN R MENDIVE R MILLER R MONKS R MOYLE R NATE R NIELSEN R X X Nye D PACKER R PALMER R Pence D PERRY R RAYBOULD R REDMAN R ROMRELL R Rubel D Rudolph D X ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 12

13 IDAHO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District H 372 H 380 H 486 H 463 H 462 H 331 H 498 H 516 S 1339 H 533 S 1248 S 1389 S 1342 H 628 H 644 S 1404 Rusche D SCOTT R SHEPHERD R X SIMS R X Smith D THOMPSON R X X TROY R X TRUJILLO R VANDER WOUDE R VanORDEN R X WILLS R Wintrow D WOOD R 27 X X X YOUNGBLOOD R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 13