Week 2 Senator Bilyeu

Posted on Jan 26, 2012 in Legislative Updates

Greetings from the Capitol! Last week was Health and Welfare week for the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee (JFAC). Bruce Krosch, the Director of Public Health District 3, addressed us regarding current health-related trends in Idaho, many of which arealarming. There has been a 36% increase in communicable diseases, a 46% decrease in child care facility inspections and our child vaccination rates are the lowest in the country with only 57.4% being fully immunized. Vaccines in particular have been the target of misinformation and the Department is working to educate parents on the benefits of vaccines and dispel myths. Unfortunately they’re trying to do this while being understaffed. Public Health Districts in Idaho have lost 143 full-time positions since the economic downturn;almost a fifth of their full-time staff.

These cuts are affecting the Department’s ability to provide adequate mental health services in particular. They’ve lost staff while continuing to see as many, or more, patients, often with an increasing severity of illnesses. Only one state in the nation budgeted less than Idaho for mental health services in 2012. The reductions in Health &Welfare’s behavioral health staff are causing significant hardship for sheriffs, deputies, courts, probation and parole officers and ultimately the counties. The most cost-efficient mental health systems emphasize early treatment, support services, and recovery. Restoring some lost funding to these services will save taxpayer money.

On a happier note, there is one public health trend that is going in the right direction. Tobacco use has gone from 19.1% of the adult population in 2007 down to 15.7% in 2010. The current smoke-free policies are working and additional ideas for continuing the downward trend of tobacco use in Idaho are available. A tobacco tax increase is being mulled around the Capitol as well as legislation to prohibit new “E-Cigarettes” from being sold to minors. Because these new smoking devices don’t actually use tobacco, they don’t yet fall under laws prohibiting minors from purchasing them.

During the week, former Pocatellan and current Administrator for the Division of Veterans Services, Colonel David E. Brasuell, addressed JFAC regarding veteran’s issues. He outlined a new model for designing future VA homes that differs from the current hospital approach. There is an increased need to combat Post-traumatic stress disorder through the addition of a Behavioral Health Unit. These changes are needed to reflect a new generation of veterans, many of whom have seen 10 years of war. Brasuell also addressed the possibility of locating an additional veteran’s cemetery in Southeast Idaho.

The Redistricting Commission will reconvene on Thursday, January 26^th at 9am inside the Capitol. The Supreme Court voted to overturn the current redistricting map. Some members of the Majority Party have stated that intend to fire two of their redistricting commissioners because they felt they worked too easily with the Minority. This is not supposed to be a partisan issue and we had a bi-partisan redistricting commission who acted very responsibly. I think they did an excellent job and produced a plan that was unanimous. Stand by as we all watch this outcome.

This week JFAC is focusing on education. We’ve already heard from ISU, BSU, and LCSC. Also, both Education Committees recently approved the Students Come First rule requiring two online courses for the 2016 graduation class, instead of the originally proposed eight. I will continue to keep you posted on this and other important news from the Capitol as it happens. As always, it is an honor and a privilege to serve those of you in my district and I welcome any questions or comments you may have.  You can contact me via email atdbilyeu@senate.idaho.gov.

Sincerely,

Diane Bilyeu

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