Bill would create Idaho committee to study federal laws

Legislation to create a committee to monitor how federal laws and regulations impact Idaho’s sovereignty is headed to the House.

The House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday approved advancing the plan to create the Committee on Federalism put forward by Republican Rep. Jason Monks.

Monks says the committee will look at an array of federal issues and is scheduled to end its work in two years unless lawmakers opt to keep the committee going.

Monks says such committees typically cost $10,000 to $15,000 annually, not including potential expenses for hiring attorneys.

Monks says the proposed committee is different from another proposed committee that will focus on federal lands, though there might be some overlap.