Here are three disparate pieces of Idaho legislation, all House measures, that between them say something about the way Idaho legislators look at government and at themselves. Two are law; the third is awaiting action by the governor (and that action might go either way).
The first, House Bill 54, fixes a law that falls into the category of something that might have made sense a century ago but these days is a train wreck coming. It bars agencies issuing drivers licenses from giving them any who is a “habitual drunkard†or “addicted to the use of narcotic drugsâ€.
Wisely enough, the state transportation department proposed striking the language because, it noted, "If left unchanged, the statute creates a concern about Department liability for acts of such persons. The Department has no way of identifying these persons." Never really did, of course, but in these days when the only time you'll probably ever see your license issuer is at the counter, less than ever. It is, obviously, a law that hasn't been enforced - hasn't been followed by the state - for decades at least, if ever.
Which leads you to wonder about whether the law to be fixed by House Bill 126 was followed either.