>> Announcer: PRESENTATION OF IDAHO REPORTS IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE LAURA MOORE CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO FULFILLING THE MOORE AND BETTIS FAMILY LEGACY OF BUILDING THE GREAT STATE OF IDAHO, BY FRIENDS OF IDAHO PUBLIC TELEVISION, AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

>>> WHILE IDAHOIANS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET EVACUATES NATE, THE LEGISLATURE IS TRYING TO THREAD THE NEEDLE ON CUSHING -- CURBING EXECUTIVE POWERS.

IDAHO REPORTS STARTS NOW.

♪ ♪ >>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "IDAHO REPORTS."

THIS WEEK DR. TOMMY AL QUIST JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT HIS EFFORTS TO GET VACCINE INFORMATION OUT.

THEN BETSY RUSSELL OF THE IDAHO PRESS UPDATES US ON THE LEGISLATURE'S NEWEST PROPOSALS TO PUT THE GOVERNOR'S POWERS IN CHECK.

BUT FIRST, LAST WEEK WE REPORTED THAT THE'D HOE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE HAS SAID THEY WERE LEGALLY PROHIBITED FROM COLLECTING DATA AFTER REPORTS THAT WHITE PEOPLE ARE BEING VACCINATED AT TWICE THE RATE AS BLACK AND HISPANIC PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES ACCORDING TO CNN.

BOTH "IDAHO REPORTS" AND THE IDAHO STATES MEN REVIEWED RELATIVECODE AND RULES AND COULD FIND NO SUCH PROHIBITION ON THE COLLECTION OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA.

AFTER OUR REPORTING THIS WEEK, DIRECTOR DAVE JEPSON OF THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE TOLD LAWMAKERS AND THE MEDIA THAT THERE IS IN FACT NO SUCH LAW PROHIBITING THAT DATA COLLECTION.

RATHER, VACCINE RECIPIENTS AREN'T REQUIRED TO PROVIDE IT.

>>> BUT QUESTIONS STILL REMAIN OVER WHO IS RECEIVING THOSE VACCINES, ESPECIALLY AS THERE ARE BIG COUNTY BY COUNTY DISPARITIES IN THE PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IMMUNIZED AGAINST COVID-19.

IN BLAINE COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT 13% OF RESIDENTS ARE VACCINATED.

ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES IN THE STATE.

IMMEDIATELY SOUTH IN LINCOLN COUNTY, JUST 2.9% ARE VACCINATED.

THE LOWEST IN IDAHO.

VALLEY COUNTY REPORTS ABOUT 16% OF RESIDENTS ARE VACCINATED.

BUT ALL OF ITS NEIGHBORING COUNTIES ARE AT 5 OR 6%.

THIS WEEK WE LOOKED AT CENSUS DATA TO TRY TO FIND SOME CORRELATIONS.

YOU'LL FIND MORE ON OUR BLOG.

THE LINK IS AT IDAHO P TV.ORG.

>>> IDAHOIANS BECAME ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE 65 AND OLDER.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE DIRECTOR DAVE JEPSON REISATED ON TUESDAY THAT EVERYONE WAS EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET VACCINATED BUT THE PROCESS WILL BE SLOW FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

DUE TO THE SMALL SUPPLY COMING IN TO THE STATE EACH WEEK.

>> YESTERDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST, THOSE 65 AND OLDER BECAME ELIGIBLE.

THERE ARE ROUGHLY 265,000 PEOPLE IN IDAHO WHO ARE 65 AND OLDER.

BUT AS A REMINDER, WE'RE RECEIVING ABOUT 25,000 FIRST DOSES A WEEK.

THAT MEANS IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET THROUGH THIS GROUP.

WE ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE, THE PUBLIC, AND THOSE THAT ARE 65 AND OLDER.

EVERYONE 65 AND OLDER WHO WANTS THE VACCINE WILL BE ABLE TO DO SO.

BUT THOSE APPOINTMENTS WILL HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT COMING SELF MONTHS.

-- SEVERAL MONTHS.

>>> IDAHOIANCE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPRESS FRUSTRATION AT DIFFICULTIES SECURING APPOINTMENTS OR EVEN FIGURING OUT WHERE THEY CAN GET VACCINATED.

DR. ALQUIST OF CRUSH OF CURVE IDAHO LAUNCHED A NEW WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE THAT PUTS STATEWIDE INFORMATION ON ONE AGE AS WELL AS GUIDANCE ON HOW TO BEST MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS.

THE DOCTOR JOINED ME FRIDAY TO TALK ABOUT THE SIDE AS WELL AS WHAT HE WISHES THE STATE AND LEGISLATURE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

TELL US ABOUT VACCINATE THE 208.COM.

>> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR FOLKS OUT THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP, BUT AS THE VACCINATION EFFORTS STARTED, WE THOUGHT HOW CAN WE BE A SOLUTION.

WE OFFERED SOME TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO THE STATE.

WE'VE ALSO OFFERED TO BE A -- WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO, I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGED, YOU KNOW, ILL, AND THOSE WITH CO-MORBIDITIES AND MAYBE THOSE WITH ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, SO WE'D LOVE TO DO SOME MASS TEST SITES FOR úTHOSE PEOPLE TO MAYBE BEING LET BEHIND.

WE ACTUALLY TURNED IN A FORMAL PROPOSAL TO THE STATE AND WHEN THAT DIDN'T GO THROUGH, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO.

VACCINATE THE 208, IT'S GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION OUT THERE IN ANOTHER WAY SO PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT WHAT THE TRUTH IS REGARDING THE VACCINE.

SECONDLY, WE ARE TRANSLATING EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING INTO SPANISH BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE HOLES IN THE PANDEMIC IS GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO FOLKS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY READ AND DIGEST IN A WAY MAKES SENSE TO THEM.

AND THEN THIRDLY, NICE CAT, I LIKE THAT.

[LAUGHTER] >> SHE LIKES THE CAMEOS.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

THIRDLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT IDEAL.

IDEALLY WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY SO THAT WE HAD A CLEARING HOUSE FOR THESE TESTING SIDES.

SO THAT YOU REALLY CONNECTED PATIENTS TO CAPACITY.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WAY TO DO IT.

BUT WHEN THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, WE THOUGHT AT LEAST WE CAN PUT A COUPLE OF OUR EMPLOYEES FULL-TIME CALLING AROUND THE STATE AND AT LEAST AUTOMATE SOME INFORMATION TO HELP PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S WAT THE EFFORT IS ABOUT.

WE BELIEVE THAT AWARENESS IS THE KEY TO THIS.

AND ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, DOING OUR PART TO TRY TO MAYBE TAKE SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE ABOUT VACCINATIONS AND GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

>> NOW, GOING THROUGH YOUR SITE, I NOTICED THAT IT'S PRETTY EASY TO USE.

I KNOW IF I'M IN COTTONWOOD, IDAHO, WHERE I CAN G.E.

TO GET VACCINATED OR AT LEAST WHO TO TRY TO CONTACT FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

WHAT KIND OF EFFORT ARE YOUR STAFF GOING THROUGH TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE I KNOW INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD A HECK OF A TIME.

>> YEAH, I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR SAYING THIS LAST INTERVIEW, BUT THE '90S CALLED AND WANT THEIR TECHNOLOGY BACK.

IDEALLY -- WHAT WE DID WITH LABS IS WE HAD DAILY ELECTRONICALLY LABS REPORTING CAPACITY AND THEN WE HOOKED THEM UP ELECTRONICALLY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES CALLING EVERY DAY AND TRYING TO KEEP THAT LIST AS UPDATED S POSSIBLE.

JUST TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT IDEAL, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT, EITHER, BECAUSE IF THEY CALL IN THE MORNING AND THINGS CHANGE BY THE AFTERNOON, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO UPDATE THAT EVERY DAY, JUST SO THAT THERE'S ONE PLACE FOR IDAHOIANS TO GO, VACCINATE THE 208, GO THERE, AND WE'LL GET YOU STARTED.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

VERY LOW-TECH.

PHONE CALLS, TRYING TO UPDATE THE WEBSITE, AND AT LEAST HAVE INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT THEY CAN USE.% >> NOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE ANYWAY OR WAS THIS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE LACK OF CENTRALIZED INFORMATION AND THE CONFUSION THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE?

>> YOU KNOW, MELISSA, I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE'RE THINKING OUT AHEAD SIX MONTHS.

AND I THINK SIX MONTHS AGO, AFTER WATCHING WHAT HAPPENED -- I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK -- LISTEN, NO ONE HAS REALLY TALKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH CONTACT TRACING IN IDAHO.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND NO ONE HAS TALKED ABOUT JUST TESTING AND THE CONFUSION.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, IT JUST -- AND IT GOT OUT OF CONTROL, RIGHT?

SO THE NEXT THING, HEY, IN THIS SAME SYSTEM OF LETTING STUFF FILTER DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE VACCINATIONS BEING SENT OUT TO ALL THESE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WHO MIGHT, MY GOODNESS, THEY'RE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN.

BUT IT'S GOING TO OVERWHELM THE SYSTEM.

SO WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT SIX MONTHS AGO.

WE TOOK THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE WERE USING FOR TESTING AND STARTED TWEAKING IT SIX MONTHS AGO.

IN PREPARATION FOR SAYING, HEY, SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS.

WE'RE HELPING OTHER STATES WITH THESE SAME PROBLEMS.

SOMETIMES WE ACT IN IDAHO THAT SOMEHOW THIS IS A UNIQUE PROBLEM FOR US.

IT'S NOT.

IT'S THE SAME THING HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES.

SO WE'VE BEEN HELPING OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

SO WE'VE BEEN READY TO HELP I GUESS I WOULD SAY PROACTIVELY, KNOWING THAT IT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A CLUSTER.

>> YOU KNOW, AS I HAVE LOOKED AT VACCINATIONS RATES BY COUNTY, I'VE NOTICED SOME BIG DISPARITIES.

YOUR TEAM HAS CONTACTED ALL OF THESE PROVIDERS.

HAVEE THIS NOTICED ANY -- HAVE THEY NOTICED ANY DISPARITIES, WHETHER ON NUMBER OF SITES IN A GIVEN REGION OR AVAILABILITY OF APPOINTMENT?

>> BOY BOY, THAT IS A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH YET.

I THINK OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT AND WE ARE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, EVERYONE IS JUST SCRAMBLING, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH -- THERE'S SO MUCH MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.

THERE'S SO MUCH LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF, OKAY, WHEN AM I GETTING MY NEXT DOSE, HOW MUCH IS THE STATE GETS.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR FEET UNDERNEATH US, PUT THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION, BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK THE GREAT STATE OF ADA, YOU GOT ADA AND CANYON COUNTY, BUT YOU HAVE THE REST OF IDAHO THAT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS OUT AS WELL.

AND GOING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC THAT THOSE BUEHRLE COMMUNITIES GET DEVASTATED AND NEED -- RURAL COMMUNITIES GET DEVASTATED AND NEED ASSISTANCE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE A SOLUTION AND A HELP FOR THEM.

>> IS THIS SOMETHING IN YOUR VIEW THAT THE STATE COULD HAVE DONE BY ITSELF?

>> THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW -- YOU GOT A DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELFARE.

YOU'VE GOT SEVEN HEALTH DEPARTMENT DISTRICTS.

YOU'VE GOT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE STATE -- I MEAN, SOMETIMES WE ACT LIKE THE STATE -- FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HASN'T HELPED US.

WELL, THEY'VE GIVEN US GOBS OF CASH TO DEAL WITH THIS, RIGHT?

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I -- I WISH I KNEW.

I WISH I WAS IN THE INSIDE OF THEIR ORGANIZATION AND KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO ADDRESS THESE SAME PROBLEMS.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.

SO WE'RE A NONPROFIT.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BOARD OF SIX PEOPLE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE STAFF OF NINE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.

AND WE'RE JUST SEEING PROBLEMS AS THEY'RE COMING AND TRYING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

BUT MY SHORT ANSWER WAS, I SURE WOULD HAVE HOPED SO.

WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THEY HAVE, YEAH, I THINK THEY -- THEY COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE PRO-ACTIVE IN PREPARING FOR THIS.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THE STATES GOBS OF CASH.

BUT THEY'VE ALSO GIVEN STATES CONFLICTING INFORMATION ON HOW MANY DOSES THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE IN THE FUTURE.

THERE'S BEEN A DECENTRALIZATION OF DATA COLLECTION FROM THE CDC UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

AND SO WHAT MORE COULD THE STATE HAVE DONE WITH THIS UNCERTAINTY AND WITH THE LACK OF DIRECTION, IN SOME CASES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

>> WELL, SO TWO ISSUES.

I MEAN, LISTEN, I AM NEVER GOING TO DEFEND THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE.

BUT I ALSO WANT SIT HERE -- CAN'T SIT HERE AND PRETEND THAT THE STATE WASN'T GIVEN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

THERE WOULD BE NOTHING WRONG ON YOUR OWN INITIATIVE, WHICH IS HAPPENING IN OTHER STATES, TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS DYSFUNCTIONAL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN PEOPLE.

SO JUST SITTING BACK AND SAYING, HEY, IT WAS THEIR FAULT.

THEY'RE NOT REPORTING, WHATEVER.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL TRUE.

BUT IT'S NOT -- YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T STOP YOU FROM BEING PRO-ACTIVE ON YOUR OWN AND SAYING, LET'S TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.

WE ONLY HAVE 1.8 MILLION IN I'D HE.

I MEAN -- IN IDAHO.

THERE'S NOT THAT MANY PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF, RIGHT, HERE, VERSUS OTHER LARGE COUNTIES AND OTHER PLACES.

THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE IN THESE URBAN CENTERS.

SO WITH THE A.

MONEY, I GUESS THE QUESTION YOU ASKED WAS, COULD THEY OR SHOULD THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I'M JUST SAYING WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND MONEY AND PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD, REGARDLESS OF WHAT TRUMP DID, I WOULD HAVE LIKE TO SEEN THEM BE MORE PRO-ACTIVE IN PREPARING FOR THIS.

AND I THINK THANK YOU VERY MUCH BEEN GIVEN A HUGE PASS.

>> YOU'VE ALSO BEEN CRITICAL OF THE LEGISLATURE'S PANDEMIC RESPONSE, AND YOU'VE SAYS PREVIOUSLY THAT YOU HAD HOPED THEY WOULD BE MORE PRO-ACTIVE IN HELPING WITH SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

SO WHAT WOULD THAT RESPONSE LOOK LIKE IN YOUR VIEW?

>> WELL, MOSTLY -- YOU KNOW, WHEN -- SO I HAD THE PLEASURECH VISITING ALL -- PLEASURE OF VISITING ALL HEALTH DISTRICTS AND SEEING WHAT THEY WERE DOING PRE-PANDEMIC.

VACCINATIONS, FOR LOWER INCOME HEALTHCARE IN SUPPORTING COUNTIES AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.

IT WAS A BIG PART OF WHAT I DID BEFORE.

AND THERE WHY GIANT HOLES -- WERE GIANT HOLES IN IT.

THE OTHER THING IS THE GOVERNANCE DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL FROM A HIRE ARC CAL PERSPECTIVE.

HOW DOES THIS WORK, FUNCTION.

SO GOING INTO A PANDEMIC, I BELIEVE -- I ACTUALLY HOPE THAT OUR LEGISLATURE AND OUR STATE AND THE PEOPLE KNEW THAT WE HAD SOME PROBLEMS, RIGHT?

SO NOW WE HAVE A PANDEMIC, RIGHT?

AND IT'S DOMINATED OUR ECONOMY, IT'S HAD OUR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL, IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD HAVE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS.

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSES IN IDAHO?

WHAT ARE THE HOLES WE HAVE IN OUR LOCAL HELINGSZ DISTRICTS?

WHAT ARE -- HEALTH DISTRICTS?

WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO BETTER FIX SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS?

YEAH, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, BUT IT'S NOT TOO SOON TO SAY LET'S BE PART OF THE SOLUTION SO THAT WE'RE ABOUT THE PREPARED TO FINISH THIS PENDANT OUT AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR THE NEXT TIME.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS I WAG LOOKING FOR -- I WAS LOOKING FOR.

AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OF THAT.

INSTEAD IT'S BEEN -- I THINK DAVID PAID SET -- DAVID PAYMENT SAID.

HOW DID WE STRIP MORE FROM THE GOVERNOR.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PRIMARY ELECTION NEXT YEAR.

WE ALL GET THE JOKE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND YOU REPRESENT PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE AT RISK.

SO I THOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE BALANCED THIS BETWEEN RALLYING TO THE PACE FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION -- BASE FOR A PRIMARY ELECTION AND TRYING TO HELP WITH SOME LEGISLATION AND FIXES TO SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE.

>> AS WE LOOK AHEAD, WHAT'S YOUR CONCERN FOR THE NEXT PROBLEM THAT WE MIGHT HIT?

>> I KNOW -- YOU KNOW, MELISSA, ONE OF THE THING THAT FRUSTRATES ME, AND I DON'T WHY I'M BUILT THIS WAY.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE I'M AN E.R.

DOCTOR.

WE'RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT THIN -- THING, THE NEXT THING.

YOU TRIAGE, GET STABILIZED, AND IT'S THE NEXT THING.

WE HAVE GOT DONE THAT DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT MAY SOUND CRAZY, BUT WE'RE IN FEBRUARY AND BY A FALL OF NEXT YEAR, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE WITH VACCINATIONS, WITH GET, KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL -- GETTING KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.

ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES OF THIS RESPONSE WAS IF WE WOULD HAVE TESTED AND TRACED BETTER, IF WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE COHESIVE PROTOCOLS AT OUR SCHOOLS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE SHUTDOWNS THAT WE'VE HAD.

AND SO FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING, HEY, THE GOVERNOR DID TOO MUCH OR PEOPLE ARE DOING TOO MUCH, THE REASON WHY WE DID IS WE DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OF THIS VIRUS.

SO NOW WE'VE GOT A CHANCE GOING INTO THE FALL TO HAVE THE RIGHT PROTOCOLS.

MY GOODNESS, IT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN OTHER STATES.

WE SHOULD BE TALKING NONSTOP WITH THE STATE EDUCATION BOARD, WITH LOCAL DISTRICTS, MORE OF A COHESIVE RESPONSE.

I APPLAUD DAVID PATEE WITH THE WEST DAVID SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING NOW, IS HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR NEXT FALL AND NOT WASTE THE TIME LIKE WE DID LAST SUMMER.

LAST -- LAST SUMMER WAS CRAZY FOR ME BECAUSE I KEPT JUST SITTING BACK THINKING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS -- WE GOT THIS WINDOW.

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE DAYS -- AND THE DAYS PASSED AND THEN IT WAS FALL.

NOW WE'RE ALMOST BACK TO SPRING, RIGHT, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS OTHER NEXT PASS WITH THE VIRUS, BUT WE HAVE TO GET READY FOR THE FALL.

THAT'S WHAT I'D BE SAYING IN EVERY SINGLE WAY AT EVERY LEVEL.

>> HAVE YOU BROUGHT ANY SPECIFIC PROPOSALS TO THE STATE REGARDING THE NEXT -- COMING SCHOOL YEAR?

>> WE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE THE LAST PROPOSAL WE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE WAS WANTING TO HELP WITH THE VACCINATIONS.

THAT WAS A PROPOSAL THAT WENT IN A FEW WEEKS AGO.

BUT WE PROBABLY WILL.

I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH DAVID AND MAYBE WE CAN START COMING UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS.

THERE'S A LOT WE CAN LEARN FROM OTHER STATES IN PREPARATION FOR THE FALL.

SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT.

RIGHT NOW IT'S VACCINATE THE 208.

>>> WE HAVE MORE WITH DR. ALQUIST ONLINE.

YOU'LL FIND THE LINK.

>>> IN ONE OF THE FIRST LENGTH THEE FLOOR DEBATES ON WEDNESDAY SENATORS WRESTLED WITH A PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

IT WOULD PROHIBIT THE FUTURE LEGALIZATION OF ALL DRUGS THAT AREN'T ALREADY LEGAL IN IDAHO.

POSSESSION OF A SCHEDULE 1 OR SCHEDULE 2 CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AT THE END OF THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION OUTSIDE OF NARROW EXAMPLES LIKE FOR CLINICAL TRIALS WOULD BE BANNED BY THE STATE CONSTITUTION UNLESS IT WAS APPROVED FOR PRESCRIPTION USE BY THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND ALSO PERMITTED IN SATUTE BY THE LEGISLATURE.

>>> DURING WEDNESDAY'S DEBATE, SENATORS WERE SPLIT ON WHETHER THIS WAS THE BEST APPROACH TO DRUG POLICY.

>> WHY A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT?

THAT'S THE QUESTION I KEEP HEARING AND I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE SAME THING.

IDAHO NEEDS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

PROHIBITING ALL OF THESE THINGS, PRODUCTION, MANUFACTURE, YOU HEARD IT READ HERE, FOR USE OF CERTAIN PSYCHO ACTIVE DRUG.

WHY?

SENATORS, WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITIES, FROM THE SCOURGE OF DRUGS IN A DRUG CULTURE WHICH WE HAVE SEEN GO CLEAR ACROSS THIS NATION.

>> NO MATTER WHAT QUESTION DO HERE AS -- WHAT WE DO HERE AS A LEGISLATURE, NO MATTER HOW WE THINK WE CAN LEGISLATEIME TEM PLANS AND MORALITY -- TEMPERANCE AND MORALITY, IT'S A PERSONAL CHOICE.

I HAVE WITNESSED -- DAMAGE BY ALCOHOL, WHICH BUSINESSES WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE EVEN WITH OTHER BUSINESSES WERE SHUT DOWN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> LAST NIGHT AS I TALKED TO MY SON ABOUT THE TRUCKING BUSINESS, HE SAID, DAD, IF THEY LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN THIS STATE, I'LL LOSE BETTER THAN HALF MY WORKFORCE.

AND I SAID, SON, I DON'T KNOW IF WE AS A STATE LEGISLATOR -- LEGISLATURE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

>> ULTIMATELY THAT RESOLUTION PASSED WITH THE TWO-THIRDS VOTE REQUIRED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

IF TWO-THIRDS OF THE HOUSE ALSO APPROVES, THE AMENDMENT WILL BE ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT FOR VOTERS IN NOVEMBER 2022.

WE HAVE MUCH MORE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL ON THE "IDAHO REPORTS" BLOG.

>>> ON TUESDAY GOVERNOR LITTLE ANNOUNCED THAT HE IS TAKING IDAHO OUT OF ITS MODIFIED STAGE 2, MEANING GROUP SIZE LIMITS MOVED FROM 10 TO 50 PEOPLE IN CERTAIN LARGE GATHERINGS LIKE TRADE SHOWS AND WEDDINGS CAN NOW APPEAL TO LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTS FOR EXEMPTIONS AS LONG AS THEY SHOW THEY'RE FOLLOWING HEALTH GUIDELINES.

GOVERNOR LITTLE CITED A DROP IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND AN INCREASE IN HOSPITAL CAPACITY AS THE REASON FOR THE MOVE.

BUT SENATOR STEVE VIC THOUGHT THE CHANGE WAS POLITICAL.

>> IT APPEARS TO ME, AND I -- MY BY SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, THAT WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A CHESS MATCH WITH THE GENTLEMAN ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT ON JANUARY 19TH, HCR2, WHICH LIFTED ALL RESTRICTIONS ON GATHERING SIZE PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE AND THE NEXT DAY THE GENTLEMAN ON THE SECOND FLOOR LIFTED SOME OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS.

>> JOINING ME TO DISCUSS THE CONTINUED WRESTLING MATCH BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE IS BETSY RUSSELL OF THE IDAHO PRESS.

BETSY, THE LEGISLATURE'S FRUSTRATION WITH THE GOVERNOR HASN'T DISSIPATED.

>> WELL, IT'S CHANGED I WOULD SAY.

CERTAINLY, THIS CHESS MATCH, AS YOU CALLED IT, IS NOT OVER BY ANY MEANS BUT WE DID SEE ONE ROUND OF IT AND THAT IS THAT THE GOVERNOR WHEN HE MOVED IDAHO BACK TO STAGE 3, WITH LESS RESTRICTIONS HAVING TO DO WITH COVID-19, HE REVOKED THE VERY PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER THAT ALL THE LEGISLATORS WERE TRYING TO TARGET.

AND SO YOU SAW RESOLUTIONS GET PULLED BACK BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO REVOKE IT.

HE REVOKED IT FOR THEM.

AND INSTEAD PUT IN PLACE BASICALLY VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.

EVERYTHING THAT'S IN PLACE NOW AS FAR AS COVID-19 IN IDAHO FROM THE STATE LEVEL IS VOLUNTARY.

IT DOES NOT HAVE ENFORCEMENT.

IT DOESN'T HAVE CRIMINAL PENALTIES.

THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE OF LOCAL ORDINANCES.

BUT THE GOVERNOR BASICALLY TOOK A BIG STEP TOWARD WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND SO THE LEGISLATURE KIND OF CHANGED ITS AIMS.

INSTEAD OF NOW TARGETING THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS, WHICH WERE WHAT RAISED THE CONCERNS ABOUT LOSING OUR FEDERAL FUNDS, THE VERY FUNDING THAT'S FUNDING THE IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD CALLOUT, THE ROLLOUT OF THE VACCINE, THEY ARE NOW TARGETING ALL FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS AND WHAT KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS CAN BE IMPOSED AND THAT WILL NEVER AGAIN HAVE ANY KIND OF ORDER IN IDAHO THAT WOULD SAY ANYONE IS NONESSENTIALLY OR LIMIT RIGHTS TO GATHER.

SO WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF LEGISLATION ALONG THOSE LINES, INCLUDING BILLS IN BOTH HOUSES.

INTRODUCED JUST TODAY TO -- THAT ATTEMPTS TO VOID THE 50-PERSON GATHERING GUIDELINE THAT THE GOVERNOR ISSUED FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GATHERINGS BECAUSE TWO LEGISLATORS WERE VERY UPSET ABOUT AN UPCOMING GIRLS' BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.

THAT'S NOT AFFECTED BY THE GUIDELINE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT THING.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

FEELINGS ARE STILL RUNNING HIGH.

>> AND THESE PROPOSALS WERE THE LEGISLATURE AREN'T HAPPENING IN A VACUUM.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS IN IDAHO WHO ARE BRINGING THESE CONCERNS TO THEIR LAWMAKERS.

BUT IT'S LIKE WE'RE HAVING TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS HERE, RIGHT?

ONE THAT IS USING METRICS THAT ARE BASED ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AND ONE THAT IS VERY CONCERNED WITH THINGS LIKE THE ECONOMY, THE ABILITY TO GATHER.

AND THE ABILITY TO -- YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THE BUSINESSES AREN'T CLOSED.

ARE THESE TWO THINGS ALWAYS IN CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER?

IS THERE A MIDDLE GROUND HERE THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN ANY OF THESE DISCUSSIONS?

>> I THINK THAT HAD THE GOVERNOR MADE HIS CHANGE, HE CITED PUBLIC HEALTH METRICS.

HE SAID THE REASON HE MADE HIS CHANGE WAS BECAUSE WE WERE SEEING A DECREASE IN CASES AND A DECREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS, WHICH IN FACT HAS BEEN QUITE PRONOUNCED, PARTICULARLY AS FAR AS OUR DECLINE IN NEW CASES EVERY DAY.

FROM THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE HEARING A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.

WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE MAJORITY HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON IS BASICALLY ATTEMPTING TO LEGISLATE AWAY THE PANDEMIC COMPLETELY AND, QUOTES, GET BACK TO NORMAL.

AND WE'RE HEARING THAT REPEATEDLY FROM REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS, INCLUDING HOUSE STATE AFFAIRS CHAIRMAN BRENT CRANE TODAY WHEN HE INTRODUCE THIS NEW LEGISLATION, THIS NEW RESOLUTION ABOUT GATHERINGS, SAYING WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL, JUT LIKE IT ALWAYS WAS.

THE PANDEMIC ISN'T OVER AS OTHER LEGISLATORS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT THERE'S A DRIVE AMONG THE MAJORITY TO TRY TO LEGISLATE LATE IT AWAY, TO GET GET THINGS BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE -- GET THINGS BACK TO WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE A PANDEMIC.

THAT RAISES ISSUES INSTEAD OF MAKING IT GO AWAY, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY MAKE IT WORSE.

MAYBE SPREAD WILL INCREASE IF WE DON'T TAKE PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES, FOUGHT GUIDELINES -- FOLLOW GUIDELINES, AS THE GOVERNOR HAS ASKED, AUTHORIZED TO LOWER THAT RISK.

SO -- IN ORDER TO LOWER THAT RISK.

SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS GOING ON.

IT'S VERY EASY TO SEE WHO'S 0 WHICH SIDE OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE HERE IN THE STATE HOUSE, THE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS ARE NOT WEARING MASKS.

I'VE EVEN SEEN SOME LEGISLATORS WHO ARE NEW AND WHO ARRIVED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION WEARING MASKS BECAUSE THEY ARE REQUIRED RIGHT NOW IN THE COUNTY AND BOISE, ALTHOUG THE LEGISLATURE IS EXEMPT.

AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, STOPPED DOING SO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ALIGN WITH THE COOL KIDS WHO REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PANDEMIC ANYMORE.

WE'VE SEEN OF COURSE EARLIER REPRESENTATIVE HEATHER SCOTT IN THE HOUSE ANNOUNCED THAT BY HER MEASURE THE PANDEMIC IS OVER.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL GETTING SICK IT'S NOT.

SO YEAH, IT'S AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

WE ARE STILL SEEING VERY FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE AT THE CAPITOL.

>> AND LOBBYISTS AND OTHER REPORTERS, TOO.

>> RIGHT.

>> I KNOW A LOT OF THEM ARE STAYING AWAY.

BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS WEEK, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT MEDICAID FUNDING AND A BIG CHANGE TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL THIS WEEK AND THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THE MEDICAID BUDGET IS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED.

AND WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL CALLING FOR 30 MILLION IN STATE GENERAL FUND COST CONTAINMENT MEASURES TO BE TAKEN IN -- NEXT YEAR SO THE STATE WOULDN'T PROVIDE THAT 30 MILLION IN FUNDING AND AT THE SAME TIME WE WOULD LOSE FAR MORE IN FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS TO -- TO BRING IT TO A ETTOAL OF -- TOTAL OF 118 MILLION LESS OVERALL IN FUNDING FOR MEDICAID.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT DIDN'T PROPOSE A WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT CONTAINMENT.

THEY SAID WHY DON'T WE JUST LET THE DEPARTMENT OF WELFARE AT ITS DISCRETION CUTS REIMBURSEMENTS TO PROVIDERAND THE LEGISLATURE SAID NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

THERE'S NO WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT SAVINGS.

WHEN THE MELD CADE BUDGET CAME UP FOR -- MEDICAID BUDGET CAME UP FOR THE HEARING, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE WITHDREW THAT PROPOSAL.

BUT NOT JUST BECAUSE IT COULDN'T GET THE LEGISLATION IN.

BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE FROM THE FELD LEVEL.

THE FEDERAL MATCH -- FEDERAL LEVEL.

THE FEDERAL MATCHING RATE FOR REGULAR MEDICAID HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE IN FEDERAL FUNDING THAT THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE TO COVER BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND TWO WEEKS AGO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED THAT THAT INCREASE IN THE F-MAP, THE MATCHING RATE, IS GOING TO LAST FOR THE ENTIRE CALENDAR YEAR.

WELL, THAT MEANS THAT THE STATE WILL GET SOMETHING LIKE $27 MILLION IN THE CURRENT BUDGET YEAR AND SOMETHING LIKE 56 MILLION IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR THAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.

SO THE HEALTH AND WELFARE DIRECTOR SAID THE ADMINISTRATION IS NO LONGERENDING HIGH PRESSURE RECOMMENDING THAT -- NO LONGER RECOMMENDING 30 MILLION CUT IN STATE FUNDS AND IS COVERING THAT WITH THOSE SAVINGS FROM HAVING THE INCREASED FEDERAL MATCH AND ALSO BECAUSE THERE WILL STILL BE MONEY LEFT OVER STARTING WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A STABILIZATION FUND TO HENL AGAINST FUTURE MEDICAID COST INCREASES WHICH HAVE LONG BEEN A CONCERN.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT HALF A MINUTE LEFT.

BUT BRIEFLY, JANUARY REVENUE NUMBERS CAME IN STRONGER THAN EXPECTED.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND IT'S THE STEFNTSZ STRAIGHT MONTH THAT -- SEVENTH STRAIGHT MONTH THAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT.

$58 MILLION MORE THAN ANTICIPATED.

THE STATE'S SURPLUS JUST KEEPS BUILDING AND BUILDING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

BETSY RUSSELL OF THE IDAHO PRESS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AGAIN.

WE HAVE MUCH MORE ONLINE AT OUR BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU'LL FIND THE LINKS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.