Priorities for the 2025 legislative session

By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Dover
Reader Contributor

Last week the Reader ran an article about the Highway 95 reroute project. We learned the Idaho Transportation Department was abandoning its exploratory work on moving the highway path away from the existing route. For many, this was welcome news. For me, it’s a reminder that we need to stay engaged in our governance and how things work for our community. 

It’s a given that we all have many responsibilities and duties we must perform. Being too busy or distracted takes us away from many other important things. 

Idaho has a part-time legislature that meets for approximately three months each winter. This schedule has worked for governance issues but presents challenges for community issues. With the focus on getting a budget developed, passed and signed by the governor in about 90 days, there is short time to work on comprehensive bills to address issues that affect our community during the actual legislative session. 

Mark Sauter. File photo.

The time for brainstorming and developing bills is in the summer. Following up on current issues is also something that needs to be done now. Last year, I made a list of issues that I thought needed addressing through legislative action. I keep a list of items to follow up on as well.

This summer my draft bill and follow-up list includes:

• Doing more to address our ongoing lake level issue. We need assurance that our lake levels are predictable and consistent. A plan needs to be developed and implemented to address the needs of Albeni Falls Dam, now. I’ve met with several state officials and the governor, written my concerns and forwarded them to others, but we need more than this. Improvements at the dam will require funding. That process takes effort, too. I’m concerned we could have the same experience next season (and for additional years) if we don’t get busy with this issue.

• Getting our backcountry access secured. We have been working with the Department of Lands, Idaho Parks and Recreation and Stimson to develop agreements for our outdoor enthusiasts.

• We need to address funding for school operations and facilities. The Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 521 this year. This bill sends a considerable amount of money to our schools for facility improvements and is a change from how schools have been funded. Our school districts are now prioritizing their projects. More needs to be done. We also have budget shortfalls due to levy failures and some changes to our school funding formulas. These issues will be challenging but need to be addressed. 

• Fire district and EMS issues are also in need of attention. Earlier this year, partners in the Selkirk Fire joint powers agreement could not come to an agreement to proceed. The city of Sandpoint pulled out of the agreement and chose to be independent. There is an interest in the formation of a “fire authority” that could address the concerns of all parties (and potentially provide better emergency service for all involved). However, there is no “fire authority” option in state code — only a fire district option. Consolidation of fire districts comes with a set of problems as well. Earlier this year, we presented a bill to make some EMS system improvements; that bill didn’t make it to the governor’s desk. Both issues need more research and ultimately, bills drafted to address the needs of our community and state. 

• Issues that merit another try are bills to average out our property taxes, address the grocery tax process, update the homeowner’s exemption, better fund our courts, improve our community health care system and regulate out-of-state campaign financing.

Have other ideas? Reach out to me at [email protected]. Or talk to me this summer at a community event. Have a good summer!