Idaho Dispatch

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Sen. Winder (R-20) Introduces Several Bills Regarding Governor’s Powers, State of Emergency

By • January 17, 2021

During the 2020 Idaho “Extraordinary Session,” the Idaho Senate did not take up House Joint Resolution 1 which would have ended the emergency order.

At the time, the Senate said the move was unconstitutional and not part of why Governor Brad Little had called them back to the capitol. Instead, the Senate passed their own resolution asking for Little to end the order which he has not done until this day.

The Senate said at the time they had a number of issues they wanted to look at when the legislature convened this year.

Last week, Senator Chuck Winder (Republican – Dist. 20), the Senate’s new Pro-Tem, introduced four bills for consideration, and all four deal with the governor’s powers and emergency declarations.

One of Winder’s proposals he says would end the state of emergency but would still allow Idaho to collect and expend funds from the federal government. A topic of discussion among some legislators is the money that is coming in (CARES funds for example) and some legislators do not want to end the order if the money will no longer be available.

Winder said that his proposal would allow the federal money to continue coming in while ending the state of emergency.

Another of Winder’s proposals he testified in the Senate State Affairs Committee would prohibit the governor from restricting the right to worship and would prohibit the governor from restricting business owners from conducting business.

During the state of emergency, Little said that some businesses would be considered “essential” and some would be considered “non-essential.” Non-essential businesses were closed for a period of time.

Winder’s proposal would say that any business which contributes to the economy would be considered essential.

Senator Grant Burgoyne (Democrat – Dist. 16) said during the hearing last week that while all businesses contribute to the economy he believes there are some businesses that are not essential.

Winder and Sen. Kelly Anthon (Republican – Dist. 27) both said during the meeting that they wanted to see the emergency order ended but disagreed with House versions that simply ended the order.

Anthon said during the committee that the House Resolution passed in August would not have rescinded the mask mandates and other concerns citizens had. He said he supports Winder’s proposals and made a motion to have several of them “printed.”

Winder’s proposals are known as SB 1001, 1002, 1003, and SCR 101.

You can view the proposals by clicking the link here. The three bills and one resolution will have public hearings in the near future in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

What do you think of Winder’s proposals? Let us know in the comments below.

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Tags: Brad Little, Chuck Winder, Grant Burgoyne, Kelly Anthon, SB 1001, SB 1002, SB 1003, SCR 101

8 thoughts on “Sen. Winder (R-20) Introduces Several Bills Regarding Governor’s Powers, State of Emergency

  1. All businesses and people are essential. Not for a legislature to determine. Stop the Emergency, now, this is NOT about the money, as the money is tax payers dollars anyway. People need to go on living

    1. It interferes with our GOD given rights to pursue Life, Liberty & Happiness! People have the Liberty here in America to create their own livelihood, that is being infringed.
      As far as freedom to worship. That is already a law. It is #1 in the first Bill of Rights in the Constitution. How about politicians upholding what they swore to with a solemn oath. Enforce the law!!!

  2. Senator Winder’s bill 1003 will help to tie the “Little” tyrant’s hands. I hope the Senate wakes up and passes some version of this, making sure that any weasel in the executive branch can’t twist ambiguous language to impose the kind of draconian regime ever again that we have been living under in Idaho since March, 2020.

  3. How dare Senator Grant Burgoyne say he believes some businesses are mom essential. There was a time he would pay a severe price for that as soon as he left the building. Unfortunately those days appear to be over.
    Why is there no discussion of secession? And gathering other states to join. Is everyone in denial about what just happened?

  4. They pretty much spelled out why they destroyed a lot of people: M O N E Y. I can’t believe they said that they want to get rid of the emergency order, only if they can keep getting the money.

    Our money, people!

    End the emergency and end the misuse of taxpayers money.

  5. I agree with all of the comments above. It is enraging to think that a certain proportion of foolish RINOs and leftist stooges in Idaho’s Legislature can take away ANYONE’S right to the Pursuit of Happiness. For those morons in public office that don’t have common sense, ANYONE’S business or employment of ANY KIND is a part of the God given right to pursue happiness. Don’t EVEN get me started on governor little…

  6. In our representative form of government, we elect our elected officials to be our servants. NOT to be our lords and masters. Sadly, too few people today know that our liberty comes from God, rather they believe that “government” controls our freedoms. Nothing will change unless or until the majority in our state cease to elect those who will not be our servants. I have informally conducted a poll asking these 3 questions: 1 Who conferred our rights to liberty and freedom upon us? 2. What Founding Document is it found in? 3. Which Founding Father wrote the document? To date only 9 of over 2,000 people have successfully answered all three questions.

  7. If me or my business is non-essential, that means my tax dollars are too, right Governor????

    No person or government can deprive a citizen of his business and his property without due process. Where were the trials of our businessmen and women before the government shut them down, thereby depriving them of their property and the means to provide a living? Why hasn’t a constitutional lawyer sued the state and Governor Little for depriving businesses of their due process rights? I wish these elected officials could be sued personally–how quick would they be to trample on our freedoms if that were the case?

    Good for Senator Winder and the bills he has brought forward.

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