And the winners are...

Jerry: Now that the Idaho Legislature has finally adjourned, it’s time to announce our annual “BILE” and “FLUB” awards.

Carrie: In case people don’t recall, BILE is “Bad Idaho Legislative Efforts,” the worst legislating of the session. “FLUB” is “Foolish Legislator Utterances or Blunders.” FLUB awards are especially challenging because we have so many to choose from.

Jerry: In the “Let’s Set the World on Fire” category, the BILE goes to the 35 House Republicans who killed a bill which would have outlawed exploding targets on public land during fire season.

Carrie: Apparently it didn’t matter that an exploding target started the Sharps Fire which burned 65,000 acres in Blaine County.

Jerry: Next, in the “Farmer BS” category, the BILE goes to Sen. Mark Harris of Soda Springs who cited the plight of farmers in his decision to oppose the bill banning the use of handheld cell phones while driving.

Carrie: He said he was worried about rural farmers who drive older vehicles not equipped with Bluetooth. They’d have to pull over and stop to make a phone call.

Jerry: Why do they need to pull over? They usually just park in the middle of the road when they stop and talk with each other.

Carrie: In the “Tone Deaf” category, the BILE goes to House Bill 289 which proposed spending $10 million to build 43 new offices for House members who currently suffer the indignity of working in a cubicle.

Jerry: After all their righteous complaining about having to find $20 million to pay for Medicaid expansion, they had no problem spending an additional $10 million to construct new offices they’ll use three months a year? Thankfully, the Senate killed that one.

Carrie: Finally, the “Best in Show” BILE goes to Sen. Scott Grow of Eagle and Rep. Sage Dixon of Ponderay for their two bills which would have made Idaho the most difficult state in the country to place a citizen initiative on the ballot.

Jerry: Fortunately, over 7,200 Idahoans contacted the governor urging him to veto, and he did just that.

Carrie: Let’s move onto the FLUB awards.

Jerry: In the “She Blinded Me With Science” category, the FLUB goes to Rep. Priscilla Giddings of White Bird. When opposing the bill banning exploding targets on public lands during fire season, she said, “they are incapable of causing fires because they draw oxygen out of the air.”

Carrie: That makes no sense. No wonder the State Board of Education had so much trouble getting science standards through the House last year.

Jerry: Speaking of air, in the “Let’s Not Talk About Sex Education” category, the FLUB goes to Rep. Barb Ehardt of Idaho Falls for her eloquent definition of sexuality.

Carrie: Representative Ehardt said, “sexuality, kind of like air, it’s hard to describe it but you know it when you see it.”

Jerry: I’m speechless.

Carrie: Moving onto the “Idahoans Can Do the Impossible” category, the FLUB goes to Sen. Patti Anne Lodge of Huston. In justifying the bill to make ballot initiatives almost impossible, she said, “Pioneers walked across the prairie without sunglasses, and we’ve landed on the moon, so it should be possible to reach these initiative requirements.”

Jerry: Do we really need to make it that difficult to allow the people to express their will?

Carrie: Finally, the “Best in Show” FLUB goes to Rep. John Green of Post Falls, a fierce opponent of Medicaid expansion. In his Feb. 23 town hall meeting, he was quoted as saying, “One of the terms I’ve come to loathe when I open my emails these days is ‘obey the will of the people.’

Jerry: Rep. Green’s quote captures the attitude of many legislators this session. They give arrogance a bad name.

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Jerry is a retired farmer/rancher and native Idahoan. Carrie is a retired nonprofit administrator. They live in Idaho Falls.