Idaho Legislature Heads Out To Recess Without Playground Monitors

BOISE, ID — After a difficult morning of math and science, grade school students head to the playground and take a recess. The time is allocated to get outside, have some fun, play some ball. The only strategy involved is who is on what monkey bar or the choosing of teams for a blacktop basketball game.

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The recess recently called by the Idaho legislature is not quite the same.

After completing business on Wednesday evening, both the House and Senate headed home until May 12 after 115 days of arguing and battling. The legislators are taking the break "off the clock" as their salaries are fixed and not hourly.

Unlike children looking for the sunshine, the move is political in nature. Both the House and Senate now await Governor Brad Little's decisions on a number of bills sitting on his desk. These include bills limiting his authority during times such as this and others restricting when and how a governor can declare an emergency declaration.

If the governor decides to again veto bills limiting gubernatorial power, a return on May 12 would allow the legislature one more shot at an override. The return would also allow the legislature to introduce new bills as there is no limit to the duration of a session by the Idaho Constitution.

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