Idaho Public Hearings Were Successful

A state official says the unprecedented public hearings during the 2011 Legislature at the Idaho Capitol were a success.  Legislative Service Director Jeff Youtz on Friday told state lawmakers on the Legislative Council that the opportunity for the public to participate is tremendous.  The Spokesman-Review reports that Youtz credits renovations completed in time for the 2010 Legislature that expanded space for large groups of people.  Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis of Idaho Falls says he can't remember a session with a greater amount of public participation, including from people outside southwest Idaho.  During the session, hundreds attended a 4 1/2-hour hearing on a measure to cut some $39 million in Medicaid funding, with the crowd spilling out into the hallways of the Capitol basement.