While much attention in the Idaho Legislature is focused on votes in the full House and Senate, the heavy lifting in the legislative process actually takes place in committees. Because there are so few Democrats in the Legislature, Republicans enjoy tremendous advantages in the committees. Many Senate committees have just one Democrat, because there are only four Democrats in the entire Senate.
Committees are the first stop for newly introduced legislation.
Bills can be sent to more than one committee, and committees are where most legislation dies. With some exceptions, such as bills crafted by legislative leaders and put on a fast track for passage, legislation is often edited heavily during the committee process. Committee agendas can change quickly. They're often posted outside the committee room the day before the scheduled meeting. Many committee agendas also are posted on the Legislature's Web site the night before a meeting.