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The session is in full swing following Gov. Brad Little's State of the State Address. This week, we bring you reactions to his budget proposals, as well as a discussion on a proposed balanced budget amendment with former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former U.S. Senator Larry Craig.

Idaho Reports airs Friday at 8 pm on Idaho Public Television.

The lawmakers crafting Idaho’s state budget will use a new process on a revamped schedule this year with goals of increased transparency and a faster timeline, though the changes prompted concern from some of their colleagues.

Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, is sponsoring a new bill on content in public libraries that he said addresses concerns the governor had last year. The bill, which he is calling the Children and Library Protection Act, does not ban books. It would allow libraries 30 days to relocate any material found in a children’s section of the library that’s deemed obscene.

A 19-page bill sponsored by Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, was introduced to change the term “fetus” to “preborn child” or “child” more than 70 times in various code sections.

The term "fetus" is currently used in abortion laws, surrogacy laws, criminal battery laws, manslaughter and murder laws, death and stillborn registration laws and others. The bill would change those instances of the term to either “child” or “preborn child.”

In case you missed it:

Shortly after the address, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and his staff answered questions from members of the capitol press corps about his policy priorities and proposed budget items.

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