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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Around the West, politicians are writing more bills than ever
Who knew there were this many things that had to be fixed? The legislative sessions in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Washington are over. Depending on your political perspective, the benefits — or damages — will be felt for years to come. One thing that isn't in dispute? Lawmakers couldn't help but introduce a record number of bills in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Washington may also be added to that list, depending on what happens in the second part of its biennium. In Idaho, lawmakers introduced nearly 800 pieces of legislation — the highest mark going back at least 16 years. Less than 50% of the legislation actually made it across the finish line. Higher numbers are expected in Idaho, as lawmakers now individually introduce and approve every state department budget, rather than just one large state budget. Still, the numbers are staggering, not only for lawmakers who work at the state capitol, but also for citizens who try to follow the session and be involved in the process. Making it more challenging in Idaho is the sometimes minimal lack of notice regarding hearings for bills that have been introduced. We've recommended that lawmakers commit to a Rule of Three to allow citizens more time to be engaged. In Montana, lawmakers also hit a record of 1,761 bills introduced, with a little more than half being signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte. Montana's joint Rule 40-40 'allows members of the Montana Legislature to request an unlimited number of bill or resolution drafts before December 5. After that date, a member may request the Legislative Council to prepare no more than seven bills or resolutions. Unused requests by one member may be granted to another member. The limits do not apply to code commissioner bills or committee bills.' In Wyoming, which divides sessions among general session years and budget years, lawmakers also hit a record of 556 bills introduced. But only 31% became law. Washington state lawmakers were by far the least productive, passing only 19.5% of the more than 2,000 bills they introduced. And they're not done yet, as Washington works on a biennium and lawmakers will return next January to continue increasing the number. Passing legislation certainly isn't a contest. And this column is in no way an encouragement to increase the across-the-finish-line percentages. But it is worth pointing out that introducing legislation takes time and resources - resources that are provided by taxpayers (so perhaps a new state rock shouldn't be high on a lawmaker's list). More bill introductions also make tracking your elected official's work more difficult. Some states, including Arizona, California, New Jersey, Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, North Dakota, Indiana, Louisiana and Montana have sought to restrict how many bills a legislator can introduce each session. Do all states need a rule that limits a lawmaker's appetite for more and more legislation? Maybe. But we'd rather see a self-imposed diet. Chris Cargill is the president of Mountain States Policy Center, an independent free market think tank based in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and eastern Washington. Online at
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Introducing the first Public School Transparency Index for Idaho
The Public School Transparency Index is a tool that will allow taxpayers and officials to compare and contrast key data from the state's school districts, writes guest columnist Chris Cargill. (Getty Images) School district budgets are a maze of numbers and jargon that most citizens cannot understand. Even some lawmakers have difficulty concluding if a school district is spending money properly. Idaho's largest school district, the West Ada School District, has a budget that can be found online, but it is hundreds of pages long and includes six different funds and 36 different programs. In Montana, the Billings Public School district is the state's largest. Finding its budget on the district's website is nearly impossible. Transparent Idaho now offers public education data That's why Mountain States Policy Center is proud to release the nation's first Public School Transparency Index. This tool — available online, via download or even print on Amazon — will allow citizens, taxpayers, elected officials and more the opportunity to compare and contrast key data from school districts in the state of Idaho. Other versions featuring data from school districts in Montana, Wyoming and Washington will also be released. Transparency doesn't mean much if it's not understandable. Parents and taxpayers may see this data and conclude their school districts need more resources. Others may see it and believe that not enough is being done to spend money in the classroom. Regardless, the community will have a broader sense of the results being achieved, and what – if any – changes need to be made. One of Mountain States Policy Center's key recommendations is for lawmakers to adopt a Public School Transparency Act a law that would require all public school districts, both on the first page of their budget and also on the front page of the district's main website, report key financial data, including: Amount of total dollars (all funds – local, state and federal) spent by the district that year; Amount of total dollars spent per student, per year; Amount and percentage of total dollars allocated to average classroom; Average administrator salary and benefits; Average teacher salary and benefits; and Ratio of administrators to teachers to students. Education leaders, including Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield, have told Mountain States Policy Center they support the concept of a Public School Transparency Act. 'It's a positive for our schools if the communities they serve understand how tax dollars are being spent,' Critchfield said. 'Let's face it, school budgets tend to be complex and this is a step that helps simplify the way they're communicated publicly.' MSPC's Public School Transparency Index can be found online here. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
