Idaho State Victories
The following NFIB victories will make a real difference for your business.
Recent Victories
Protected private property from eminent domain condemnation
NFIB/Idaho was on the scene at the statehouse to remind lawmakers how important private property is to small business. NFIB helped pass additional restrictions to prevent government seizure of private property for economic development. Idaho was one of many states that acted quickly to curtail a government's ability to seize private property following a disastrous U.S. Supreme Court.
Killed a proposal that would have driven up legal liability costs
NFIB/Idaho halted a bill that would have raised the cost of liability insurance. NFIB acted quickly to oppose a bill that would have increased the number of cases in which mandatory attorney fees are awarded, and in personal injury cases, would have awarded attorney fees only to plaintiffs' lawyers, but not to defendants (even when the defendant prevails). This would have driven liability insurance rates through the roof and clogged the courts with needless additional lawsuits.
Defeated proposals that would have undermined the workers' comp program and driven up costs
NFIB/Idaho protected the workers' comp program by helping kill two proposals that would have allowed "stress claims" and removed the "no fault" provision. These proposals would have exposed employers to additional payroll costs and unnecessary lawsuits. NFIB/Idaho helped contain workers' comp costs by supporting a new requirement that physicians use a fee schedule rather than charging whatever they want. This long-overdue change should reduce rates.
Restructured unemployment insurance program, resulting in a 12.5 percent increase instead of a 113 percent increase
NFIB/Idaho helped restructure the UI program to prevent excessive rate increases to businesses. NFIB helped prevent a 113 percent rate increase and replaced it with a 12.5 percent increase under a new UI structure that will level out rate increases in the future. The new structure links rate increases with benefit reductions, which more fairly balances the employer/employee relationship. Fraud protection measures will also squeeze more efficiency from the system.
2005 Victories
Sunset of the temporary sales tax
NFIB/Idaho was on the scene at the Statehouse to ensure that the temporary sales tax expired on schedule. The temporary sales tax was estimated to bring in $178 million in additional revenue which would have contributed to more growth in government.
Restructured unemployment insurance trust fund program and prevented excessive rate increases
NFIB/Idaho helped restructure the unemployment insurance program to prevent excessive rate increases to businesses. NFIB helped prevent a 113 percent rate increase and replaced it with a 12.5 percent increase under a new unemployment insurance structure that will level out rate increases in the future. The new structure links rate increases with benefit reductions, which more fairly balances the employer/employee relationship. Fraud protection measures will also squeeze more efficiency from the unemployment insurance system.
Improved workers' compensation program
NFIB/Idaho supported legislation to contain costs by requiring the use of a fee schedule for physicians. This long-overdue change should reduce rates and is a real improvement to the system. NFIB helped kill a proposal that would have turned the workers' compensation system on its head by removing the "no fault" provision of the law, which would have exposed employers to additional payroll costs and unnecessary lawsuits.
Passed tort reform
NFIB/Idaho played a key role in passing two measures to protect small business from tort liability and frivolous lawsuits. Tort reform legislation capped non-economic damages at $250,000 and capped punitive damages at the greater of $250,000 or three times compensatory damages, as well as increased the "standard of proof" need to award punitive damages. Legislation to prevent frivolous lawsuits protects against lawsuits for weight gain or obesity against companies in the food industry, manufacturing, packers, distributors, carriers, holders, sellers, marketers, growers, advertisers, etc.
2004 Victories
Passed tort reform
NFIB/Idaho played a key role in passing tort reform (HB 92), capping non-economic damages at $250,000 (inflation factor attached) and capping punitive damages at the greater of $250,000 or three times compensatory damages. HB 92 also increased the “standard of proof” needed to award punitive damages.
Froze 2004 unemployment insurance rates
NFIB/Idaho supported a freeze in unemployment insurance rates, saving employers $120 million in additional payroll taxes. Defeated costly workers’ compensation bill. NFIB helped kill a proposal that would have turned the workers’ compensation system on its head by removing the “no fault” provision of the law, which would have exposed employers to additional payroll costs and unnecessary lawsuits.
Passed bill preventing frivolous lawsuits
HB 590 is part of a national effort to prevent frivolous lawsuits for weight gain or obesity against a company including the food industry, manufacturing, packers, distributors, carriers, holders, sellers, marketers, growers, advertisers, etc.
Local Highway Economic Investment Fund
This proposal would have increased “title fees” by $10, providing approximately $5 million for a new Highway Economic Investment Fund, providing new revenue for matching funds and oversight projects.
Victory: NFIB/Idaho led the fight to freeze unemployment insurance rates and stop expensive health insurance mandates, resulting in significant savings for small businesses in Idaho. A business with $100,000 in taxable income and 10 employees will save nearly $3,000 in annual premiums and unemployment taxes.
Victory: NFIB/Idaho is fighting to defeat an extension of the sales tax to labor and services. In addition, we are standing firm against an increase in the sales tax rate and any increase in health insurance mandates that will drive up the cost of your health insurance premiums.
Victories Many; Defeats Few in 2002 Legislative Session
NFIB/Idaho enjoyed a good legislative session. We defeated health insurance mandates and extended the current system of rate bands for individual and small group policies. There is a very significant victory that does not appear on the list below. NFIB/Idaho, working with the rest of the business community, helped the legislators hold the line against demands from the teachers' union and school officials to repeal the tax rate reductions passed last year.
Victory: Former NFIB/Idaho State Director, Pete Skamser, successfully lobbied against two health mandate bills that would have added to the already rising cost of health insurance. Both bills died in committee.
Victory: With the passage of HB501, small claims actions can now be brought in the county in which they originated, or the county in which the defendant resides, instead of just the county in which the plaintiff resides. This could save small businesses that are defending themselves in a small lawsuit hundreds of dollars in travel costs.
Victory: HB505 extends the sunset date on rate bands for health insurance, thus keeping Idaho from reverting back to the situation we faced in 1991 -- abusive rating practices.
Victory: HB627, the Small Lawsuit Resolution Act, is a reform to the legal system that makes it possible to resolve legal disputes in the easiest and least-costly manner possible -- by allowing dispute resolution between plaintiffs' lawyers, defense lawyers, and an appointed evaluator to work out a meaningful compromise. Both houses passed it with overwhelming support.
Victory: HJM11 is a joint memorial urging Idaho's congressional delegation to support the repeal of the death tax. It was adopted by voice vote.
Victory: HJM12 is a joint memorial urging Idaho's congressional delegation to support President Bush's economic security packaging. It was adopted by voice vote.
Victory: SJR103 would have allowed school bond indebtedness with the consent of 60 percent of voters in a school bond election if it were held on current election days in May or November. Pete Skamser lobbied against the bill, arguing that an overwhelming percentage of our members had voted against this issue in a recent ballot. It was sent to the Senate amending order, where the May election option was removed from the bill. After reaching the floor of the Senate, it was sent back to the Senate Education committee, where it died with no further action.
Defeat: The Senate, in an 18-17 vote in the closing days of the 2002 session, defeated HB651, which would have extended the sunset date on the $500 tax credit for new jobs (which was passed last year). The House had passed it by a 55-11 margin. NFIB/Idaho lobbied hard for this bill, arguing that it increases employment in the small-business sector.
Defeat: The House, with a 62-5 vote, passed HCR45 that would have authorized the appointment of a committee to study the phase out of the personal property tax. It was sent to the Senate State Affairs committee, where it died without a hearing.
2000: If you are self-employed you can deduct the remaining 40 percent of the health insurance you pay for $130 in savings. If you report $30,000 in taxable income on your Idaho individual income tax, you will save $30. If both spouses work, you save $115 through Idaho's elimination of the marriage penalty. As a result, Idahoans will keep $29 million in their pockets next year.
1999: The revised employment security legislation passed by last year's legislature continues to put money in the pockets of small- and independent business owners in Idaho. The legislation, which NFIB/Idaho played an important part in developing and passing, has lowered unemployment insurance taxes for the majority of employers in Idaho.
For example, an employer with 10 employees and a payroll of $250,000 per year will save $1,276 in 1999, with comparable savings in each of the following two years.
NFIB/Idaho played a key role in defeating a measure in this legislative session to increase the fuel tax by 2 cents per gallon and increase the vehicle registration fees by $6 for all vehicles under 8,000 pounds GVW. For a business owner with four pick-ups burning 50 gallons of gas a week, this would have added $232 a year to overhead.
1998: NFIB/Idaho played a major role in the passage of HB426. This bill re-wrote Idaho's unemployment security law and reduced the amount of unemployment insurance tax over the next four years by an estimated $113 million. The revised employment security legislation will lower unemployment insurance taxes for the majority of employers in Idaho. For example, an employer with 10 employees and a payroll of $250,000 per year will save $1,276 in 1998, with comparable savings in each of the following three years.
1997: NFIB/Idaho played a major role in defeating SB1200. This bill would have extended the 50/50 homeowner's exemption to include the house lot. This expansion of the homeowner's exemption would have shifted $16 million in property taxes to the business community, increasing business property tax by 5 percent.
If your business pays $6,000 in property taxes, the defeat of this bill saved you $300.
1996: NFIB/Idaho played an important role in defeating legislation mandating that all health insurance policies sold in Idaho cover biologically-based mental illnesses to the same dollar level that the policies cover physical illnesses, such as cancer. This mandate would have increased the cost of health insurance by 15 percent. A business with a $20,000-per-year policy covering 10 people would have seen costs increase by $3,000 to $23,000 the next time the policy was renewed.
