Idaho governor has unfettered chance to cut state rules

Idaho Gov. Brad Little says Idahoans can trust him to do the right thing after the Legislature handed him sweeping authority to eliminate thousands of state-approved rules going back decades that touch on just about every aspect of daily life.

Little on Tuesday said he doesn’t view the unusual power handed the executive branch this year as an opportunity to do mischief.

His office is reviewing the rules without input from the public or lawmakers after the House of Representatives killed a bill on the last day of the Legislature last week.

That bill would have reauthorized some 8,200 pages of rules and regulations that include such things as protecting consumers, homeowners, the environment and schoolchildren.

That means nearly all those rules expire on July 1 – except the ones Little chooses to keep.