Latest news with #HouseBill364
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Idaho GOP leaders announce new DOGE Task Force
From left to right, House Majority Caucus Chairman Jaron Crane, R-Nampa; House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star; House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian; and House Assistant Majority Leader Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, host a press conference on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Republican Idaho legislative leaders announced Thursday they formed the Idaho Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE Task Force. The Idaho DOGE Task Force is inspired by House Bill 364, an unsuccessful bill from the just-finished 2025 Idaho legislative session and the federal task force in President Donald Trump's administration that is headed up by billionaire Elon Musk. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX House Bill 364 sought to create the Department of Government Efficiency Legislative Task Force in Idaho, but it never made it to the floor of the Idaho Senate for a vote and died when the 2025 legislative session adjourned April 4. Even though legislators couldn't reach an agreement on the task force during the session, Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, issued a press release Thursday saying that Idaho House and Senate Republican leaders jointly announced the formation of the Idaho DOGE Task Force as part of a unified front. Crane serves as the House majority caucus chairman as part of the Republican leadership team. CONTACT US 'We have talked a lot about eliminating redundancy, cutting back on red tape, and the responsibility we have to prevent waste,' Crane said in a written statement Thursday. 'Since 1974, there has been no reconstruction on Idaho's government at all, that was under Gov. Cecil Andrus. That was the last time we looked at reorganizing the government and making it more efficient.' According to Thursday's announcement, the Idaho DOGE Task Force will have three areas of focus. Government agency consolidation: Idaho Republican leaders said they will evaluate and implement strategies to merge redundant agencies and optimize services. Government employee travel: Republicans said they will review and reduce unnecessary state-funded travel in order to cut costs. Eliminating unnecessary state government employee positions: Idaho Republicans said they are assessing and restructuring government roles to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently. 'Idaho's Legislative DOGE Committee is a significant move towards streamlining government operations and enhancing State efficiency,' House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, said in a written statement provided by Crane. Crane told the Sun the new DOGE Task Force will have public meetings, like a legislative interim committee or joint committee. A date and location for the first meeting had yet to be announced Thursday. Crane said the next step is to populate the committee with members. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor would appoint two members to expanded La. Public Service Commission under proposal
From left, Louisiana Public Service Commissioners Mike Francis, Jean-Paul Coussan and Eric Skrmetta during a Feb. 19, 2025, PSC meeting. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) State lawmakers will consider a proposal this spring to let the governor add two at-large members to the Louisiana Public Service Commission, meaning voters would no longer elect all members of one of the state's most powerful political institutions. House Bill 364, sponsored by Rep. Daryl Deshotel, R-Marksville, is a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the governor to hand select two additional members to the commission that regulates utilities in Louisiana. LPSC currently has five members, each elected from their respective multi-parish districts. The two gubernatorial appointees would be able to serve two consecutive four-year terms. The five elected commissioners are currently limited to three consecutive six-year terms. The five LPSC districts are larger and more populous than Louisiana's six congressional districts, giving the commissioners significant influence on matters of everyday concern to residents, though an at-large commissioner would have far greater influence than the current five. The commission determines how much utilities can charge their customers for their services that include electricity, water, gas, cable television, phone and internet service. A utility provider needs LPSC approval before raising rates or adding any kinds of fees to customers' bills. The most important election in Louisiana that many don't even know about The commission oversees major investor-owned utilities such as Cleco and Entergy Louisiana, as well as smaller, member-owned power cooperatives such as DEMCO. Its regulatory umbrella covers the entire state, save for a handful of city-owned utilities and private service providers in New Orleans and other cities, which fall under the jurisdiction of local governments. LPSC members also have oversight of intrastate oil pipelines, tow truck services and moving companies. Each commissioner is also supposed to represent constituents in their districts in any disputes they have with utility companies. 'It only takes three members to control rates over the entire state,' Deshotel said, referring to the three-vote majority needed for a measure to pass on the five-member panel. 'I just think we need more representation.' Some are skeptical of the proposal. Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan, a Republican and former state senator from Lafayette, said he has great respect for the legislative process and his former colleague but doesn't think the addition of two appointed members would accomplish Deshotel's stated intention of increasing representation. 'They wouldn't be answerable to a constituency, so it kinda defeats the purpose of his goal,' Coussan said. 'I don't see how two appointees who only answer to the governor would accomplish that.' Coussan said Deshotel's proposal would drastically overhaul an institution that works with companies and residents through regulatory processes that have been relatively consistent over the years. Such changes would send a discouraging message to the major stakeholders investing in Louisiana who are familiar with and rely on the LPSC's stable regulatory environment, he added. Commissioner Davante Lewis, D-Baton Rouge, questioned Dehotel's motives, saying the governor is the only person who would gain representation and power under the proposal. 'It truly dilutes the people's will by reducing their vote,' Lewis said. 'If it was truly about representation, wouldn't he just make the districts smaller by adding [elected] members?' Louisiana's largest industries tired of waiting for renewable energy During the most recent round of redistricting in 2022, the legislature chose to keep the number of LPSC members at five. There were no proposals to add elected members to the commission, but there were some that sought to redraw the map to include a second majority-Black district. Lawmakers ultimately rejected those measures. Deshotel said adding appointed rather than elected members would keep out the vast amounts of campaign cash that special interests have used to influence LPSC elections, though he hedged his statement by saying he doesn't think that it has affected any of the current commissioners. 'These are extremely expensive elections, and most of the donations come from the same people that they're regulating,' Deshotel said. He added that he plans to file a campaign finance reform bill targeting LSPC elections in the future if his constitutional amendment stalls at the Capitol this year. Constitutional amendments require two-thirds support from each chamber of the legislature and final approval from Louisiana voters during a statewide election. The 2025 legislative session starts Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
