STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Idaho Sen. Ron Taylor is inviting constituents to bring their questions and perspectives to a Legislative Town Hall from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Hailey’s Town Center West, 116 River St.

Joining him will be Rep. Jack Nelsen and Rep Mike Pohanka who, like Taylor, represent District 26, which encompasses Blaine County and towns like Jerome and Shoshone.

The legislative session, now in its sixth week, has seen a flurry of controversial bills.

A Rexburg senator has presented a bill that would use a firing squad to execute those on Death Row. A bill that would take $50 million from public school funding to provide tax credits for families sending children to private schools is awaiting Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s signature.

And Idaho House has passed a bill to gut Medicaid expansion for 90,000 Idahoans via enrollment caps and federal restrictions deemed impossible to achieve.

On the federal level, the three men may be asked about the firing of federal workers, which has left a lot of locals wondering who will who clear trails and clean outhouses on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, who will be left to lead tours and greet visitors at Minidoka National Historical Site and who will be left to work with farmers and ranchers on ways to improve crop yields and animal health.

The hiring of thousands of federal firefighters has also stalled because of a government-wide freeze ordered by the Trump Administration just as agencies are beginning to hire firefighters for the summer wildfire season.