Inside the Statehouse: Gov. Little signs immunity bill and ballot-counting bill into law after chaotic special session

Inside the Statehouse: Gov. Little signs immunity bill and ballot-counting bill into law after chaotic special session

The Idaho Legislature has wrapped up a chaotic, three-day special session by passing coronavirus-related legislation while anti-government activist Ammon Bundy was arrested for the second day in a row at the Statehouse.

SESSION BY PASSINGCORONAVIRUS-RELATEDLEGISLATION.GOOD EVENING....WEAPPRECIATE YOUJOINING US..

I'MKAREN LEHR... .AND I'M DONNELSON.... INSIDETHE STATEHOUSETODAY...GOVERNOR BRADLITTLE HAS ALREADYSIGNED TWO OF THETHREE BILLS SENT TOHIS DESK LAST NIGHTINTO LAWACCORDING TO HISPRESS SECRETARY.THIS AFTER ASPECIAL LEGISLATIVESESSION MARKED BYDESTRUCTION OFPROPERTY ANDUNMASKEDPROTESTS.IDAHO NEWS 6REPORTER MADELINEWHITE JOINS US WITHMORE ON THESELAWS.

AND HOWTHEY COULD AFFECTYOU.THINK YOU CAUGHTCOVID IN A SCHOOL.CHURCH.BUSINESS.

ORGOVERNMENTFACILITY?

YOU WILLNOW NO LONGER BEABLE TO SUE THEMFOR DAMAGESTHANKS TO A NEWHOUSE-BILL ASPOKESPERSONTELLS US..

WASSIGNED BYGOVERNOR LITTLETHIS MORNING."FROM THE GET-GO,FROM CLEAR BACKWAY IN JUNE, I SAID,WE PROBABLY NEEDTO ADDRESS SOMEOF THECOMPLICATIONSWITH THE ELECTION,AND WE NEED TOADDRESS THECOMPLICATIONS OF,IF YOU'RE A SCHOOLBOARD MEMBER ORSUPERINTENDENT,WHAT WAS THELIABILITY?'

BECAUSETHIS COVID VIRUS ISDIFFERENT THANANYTHING WE'VEEVER HAD BEFORE."MOST REPUBLICANLAWMAKERS VOTEDTO SUPPORT REP.JULIANNE YOUNG'SCOVID-19 LIABILITYIMMUNITY ACT."THERE WERE SOMEVALID POINTS MADEIN DEBATE, WITHREGARD TO JURYDUTY."G-O-P LAWMAKERSARGUED IT WOULDLIMIT FRIVOLOUSLAWSUITS.

IT DOES,HOWEVER, HAVE ASUNSET CLAUSE."THAT JULY SUNSET,FORCES US TO COMEBACK AND ADDRESSTHIS; IF THINGSCHANGE AND WELEARN STUFFBETWEEN NOW ANDTHEN, I'M SUREWE'LL INCORPORATETHAT IN THE NEXTONE."DEMOCRATICASSISTANT MINORITYLEADER OF THEHOUSE REP.

ILANARUBEL VOTEDAGAINST IT."THIS BILLBASICALLY IS ATOTAL BLANKETIMMUNITY BILL FOREVEN GROSSNEGLIGENCE FORFOLKS DURING THEPANDEMIC."ARGUING THAT IT'SNOT LIKELY THESTATE WOULD EVENHAVE SEEN ANINFLUX OF LAWSUITS."IT'S INCREDIBLYHARD TO PROVETHAT SOMEONEGAVE YOU COVID, YAKNOW, IF YOU GETCOVID, YA KNOWHOW DO YOU KNOWTHAT YOU GOT ITFROM THIS PERSON,INSTEAD FROM THEGAS STATION OR THESUPERMARKET."A SECOND NEW LAWWILL GIVE CLERKS 15MORE DAYS TOENSURE THE MAILINGOUT OF ALLABSENTEEBALLOTS.

ANDWHEN IT COMES TOOPENING ANDSCANNING THOSERETURNEDBALLOTS.

THEY'LLNOW HAVE SEVENDAYS PRIOR TOELECTION DAY TO DOTHAT, AS LONG ASBALLOTS AREMAINTAINED IN ASECURE PLACE INTHE CLERK'S OFFICE."AS WE REPORTED.ADA COUNTY CLERKPHIL MCGRANE'SIDEA OF FLEXIBLE"VOTE CENTERS" INBIGGER VENUESWAS SHOT DOWN INCOMMITTEE.THE THIRD BILL THATPASSED OUT OF THESESSION IS STILLBEING CONSIDEREDBY THE GOVERNOR.IT AIMS TOGUARANTEE SOMETYPE OF IN-PERSONVOTING FOR FUTUREIDAHO ELECTIONS.MADELINE WHITE.IDAHO NEWS 6.LITTLE HAS FIVEDAYS FROM THE TIMEHE RECEIVES THEBILLS TO EITHER SIGNTHEM OR VETO THEM.IF HE DOES NEITHER,THE BILLS WILLBECOME LA