Extraordinary Session in Every Sense of the Word

The Extraordinary Session called by Governor Little lived up to its name. It was unlike any session we have ever witnessed. The tenor from the beginning was strained. Protestors shouting from the fourth floor of the Capitol could be heard on the Garden Level.

Some deputy clerks witnessed the mayhem that resulted in the shattering of the window of one of the doors leading into the House gallery. This energy led to a feeling of pent-up unrest that sent ripples through the Capitol. By the second night of the session, three arrests had been made and dozens of Idaho State Troopers were present providing a strong sense of security.

During the ordinary session, usually the Capitol halls are bustling with school children on tours given by the spouses of legislators, citizens participating in the process, lobbyists bustling, hustling and gossiping, and legislators visiting in the hallways. That was not the case at the Special Session. We anticipate the upcoming session to have a similar feel and are preparing accordingly. We will need IAC Members’ help reaching out to legislators via text, phone calls, and in-person meetings when possible to help them understand the needs of the counties. We believe that access to the legislators in the Capitol during the session could be extremely limited during the 2021 Session.