Jerry: It appears the Idaho Legislature has finished embarrassing us for another year.

Carrie: Thank heavens they adjourned. But they do provide plenty of material for our annual “FLUB” and “BILE” awards.

Jerry: Remind our readers what the awards stand for.

Carrie: “FLUB” is “Foolish Legislative Utterance or Blunder.” It’s self explanatory.

Jerry: The envelope please. In the “Russian Science” category, the FLUB Award goes to Sen. Dan Foreman who believes climate change is a “liberal scam” and that he knows “credible scientists in the former Soviet Union who have concluded the Earth is actually cooling.”

Carrie: Well, he represents Moscow, Idaho. What do you expect?

Jerry: In the “Candid Camera” category, the FLUB Award goes to Rep. Ron Nate R-Rexburg. After repeatedly opposing spending bills because he feels teachers aren’t being paid enough, he was caught on a hot mic saying some teachers are “clearly overpaid.” When initially questioned, he didn’t recall saying that. After that, he said he misspoke.

Carrie: Isn’t he the guy who secretly recorded a conversation with Senate Pro Tem Brent Hill? Ironically, he defended his recording by saying that “honest people will never worry about being recorded because what they say in public is the same as what they say in private.”

Jerry: Oops. Nothing like being caught with his pants down.

Carrie: That’s an excellent transition to this year’s “best in show” FLUB. The award goes to Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, for saying that female legislators get promoted “only if they spread their legs.”

Jerry: How was that received?

Carrie: Not too well. She was stripped of all her committee assignments in the House as a reprimand until she apologized.

Jerry: Let’s move onto our “BILE” awards, which recognize “Bad Idaho Legislative Efforts,” the worst bills of the session.

Carrie: In the “Utter Waste of Taxpayer Time” category, the BILE award goes to Rep. Ron Nate for his “Freedom Bill.”

Jerry: C’mon. With a name like “Freedom Bill,” it must be pretty important.

Carrie: This very important bill would not require front license plates on vehicles which don’t have a built-in place to display them.

Jerry: I’m overwhelmed with sympathy for Rep. Nate. After all, his biggest complaint about the Legislature is that he can’t get his bills out of committees.

Carrie: Moving on… In the “Who Let the Dogs Out” category, the BILE award goes to Rep. Heather Scott for her bill to exempt mushers from Idaho’s dog racing ban.

Jerry: Thank you Rep. Scott for one more solution in search of a problem.

Carrie: Finally, for “Best in Show,” in the “Let’s Set the World on Fire” category, the BILE award goes to those House State Affairs Republicans who killed a bill which would have banned the sale of illegal aerial fireworks in Idaho.

Jerry: Aren’t those fireworks already outlawed?

Carrie: There’s a loophole that says you can buy them if you sign an affidavit promising you won’t set them off in Idaho.

Jerry: Seriously? Weren’t those the fireworks some yahoos used that caused the 52,000 acre Henry’s Creek fire here in eastern Idaho and the 2,500 acre Table Rock fire in Boise?

Carrie: Yup.

Jerry: I understand the governor postponed his session “wrap up” press conference last week due to laryngitis?

Carrie: Given how the legislative session went, I think we’re all speechless!

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Jerry is a retired farmer/rancher and native Idahoan. Carrie is a retired nonprofit administrator. They live in Idaho Falls.