"The government is us; WE are the government, you and I."
Michelle Stennett
February 1, 2020
"The government is us; WE are the government, you and I." --Theodore Roosevelt
Need for long-term planning in Corrections
The Office of Performance Evaluations has done a new study on managing correctional capacity. Since 2018, our inmate population has grown 18 percent and this growth has outpaced the overall growth of Idaho's population. Further, our inmate population has significantly exceeded in-state capacity at the nine facilities owned and operated by the Department of Corrections.
Ironically, the Governor's budget gives an 18 percent increase to Corrections despite reductions in nearly every other agency and department. Unfortunately, this increase does not come with a comprehensive, long-term plan for improvements defined in the OPE report.
For example, the Department still lacks a system-wide staff model for correctional officers. Also, significant deferred maintenance and under-capacity at our facilities are of equal concern. Substantial deferred maintenance adds up to $58.6 million dollars. This does not include smaller deferred maintenance projects, which would add considerably to that tab. These issues are causing the State to house inmates in county facilities and in out-of-state private facilities at substantial cost, to the State and to counties.
This is like paying rent instead of buying a house. The savings from properly managing our prison population could be used to improve our systems and build a new prison.
Idaho has a higher incarceration rate than the six surrounding states, as an example, double that of Utah. In addition to investing in correctional planning and facilities, we need to look at ways to reduce the prison population. Eliminating mandatory minimums, programs to provide for more successful re-entry to society, and reducing recidivism are all criminal justice reforms that would reduce pressure and cost in our corrections system.
Paid Parental Leave for Some State Employees
I am pleased that Governor Little has taken the lead on the important issue of parental leave. By Executive Order, State employees in the executive branch receive eight weeks of paid parental leave, starting July 1, 2020. I hope that other employers, governmental and private sector, will follow suit in offering this benefit to all employees.
Collaboration Brings Opportunities
Something that doesn't always get a lot of attention is the opportunities legislators have to collaborate in ways that benefit Idaho.
The National Conference of State Legislatures provides excellent, non-partisan support and research to state legislatures. This week, a representative from NCSL spent two days meeting with Idaho legislators and legislative staff on a wide-range of state, regional, and national topics. Their organization provides some of the best researched and comprehensive data available. You can access their website here.
Also in the Capitol this week, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region held meetings with legislators. PNWER is a public-private partnership that includes Pacific Northwest states and Western Canadian provinces. PNWER's mission is to increase economic opportunities and policies benefiting citizens of the region while promoting regional competitiveness and maintaining the natural environment.
These organizations give us opportunities to work together with and to learn from other states and provinces, as well as to share our knowledge in areas like cybersecurity, where we have cutting edge insights.
Upcoming District 26 Town Halls:
Please join us to learn what is happening this legislative session, and to let us know your thoughts. Here is our schedule for the mid-session tour:
Ketchum: February 7th, 6:00-7:30pm, Ketchum City Hall
Hailey: February 8th, 8:00-9:30am, Croy St. Exchange, 16 Croy St
Shoshone: February 8th, 10:30-11:30am, Community Center, 201 S Beverly ST
Gooding: February 8th, 12:15-1:30pm, Zeppes, 215 Main ST
Hagerman: February 8th, 3:00-4:30pm, Hagerman City Hall
Fairfield: February 21st, 6:00-7:00pm, Senior Center, 129 Willow ST
Sen. Michelle Stennett is the Senate Minority Leader. She represents Blaine, Camas, Gooding, and Lincoln counties in the Idaho State Legislature.
Respectfully,
Michelle
MICHELLE STENNETT
MINORITY CAUCUS LEADER
DISTRICT 26
BLAINE, CAMAS, GOODING & LINCOLN COUNTIES
COMMITTEES:
~STATE AFFAIRS
~NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
HOME ADDRESS
PO BOX 475
KETCHUM, IDAHO 83340
(208) 726-8106
OFFICE ADDRESS
STATE CAPITOL
P.O. BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0081
(208) 332-1353
FAX (208) 334-2116