Legislators began setting state agency budgets for next year today, and at least initially, they stuck fairly close to Gov. Butch Otter’s bare-bones budget recommendations. For the state Department of Environmental Quality, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee set a budget that increases the agency’s state funding…
The Idaho Senate has voted unanimously, 35-0, in favor of SB 1086, legislation to set up a system for hunting tags for wolves under state management once they’re removed from the endangered species list. “Let me tell you, hunting is part of the rural culture…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted unanimously in favor of legislation to end the exemption for bowling alleys from Idaho’s ban on smoking in most public places, reports S-R reporter Parker Howell. About 20 bowlers wearing bright-green stickers saying “Bowlers for Clean Air” crowded…
When Gov. Butch Otter vetoed his first bill last week, few lawmakers were familiar with the low-profile proposal from the state Tax Commission, and even fewer were fired up about it. “It was a noncontroversial bill,” said Rep. David Langhorst, D-Boise, the bill's Senate floor…
Today has been declared a “Day of Remembrance” by Gov. Butch Otter to honor Japanese-Americans who were interned at concentration camps during World War II, including camps in Idaho. This is the sixth straight year that an Idaho governor has signed such a proclamation. “It…
Standing on display along a side wall in the governor’s office is a real stuffed otter, holding tiny U.S. and Idaho flags. Gov. Butch Otter explains that the work of taxidermy was presented to him by the Safari Club International when he went off to…
Rep. Dennis Lake, chairman of the House Rev & Tax Committee, said today that he’s tentatively planning to hold a public hearing Wednesday morning on IACI’s bill to phase out the personal property tax on business equipment, a tax break for business that will total…
Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was one of a parade of committee chairs to address the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee over the past two days. The joint committee is taking input from the germane committee chairs on the budgets for…
The House has just voted 53-16 to return the vote-by-mail bill, HB 94, to the House State Affairs Committee, at the request of the chairman, Rep. Tom Loertscher. Loertscher said there was a problem with the bill that needed another look in committee. “This is…
Rathdrum grass seed farmer Wayne Meyer, a former state legislator, says he wasn't surprised by the state’s decision to end all field burning in Idaho – except on Indian reservations – due to a federal court ruling. "Three days after the ruling came out I…
Gov. Butch Otter has signed HB 2 into law, eliminating longstanding restrictions on political activity by employees of the state liquor dispensary. Dispensary chief Dyke Nally told lawmakers that his employees want to be free to have a political yard sign or attend a candidate…
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden reported this morning that his Consumer Protection Unit recovered more than $1.6 million for Idaho consumers last year – the 16th consecutive year in which the amount recovered exceeded the state’s general fund budget appropriation for the consumer protection unit.…
Ted Rea, interim president of the Idaho Elk Breeders Association, was praising the elk farming industry after this morning’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing when he made this slip: “This is just one form of eco-terror, eco-tourism.” After two hours of testimony and debate on four…
Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, making his committee’s recommendations to JFAC this morning on the public school budget, said he’s disappointed to have to pass along a recommendation for an interim committee to study mentoring, master teachers and merit pay for teachers. Idaho…
When a 20,000-cow confined animal feeding operation was proposed 300 feet from his house, Dean Dimond wasn't too worried at first. "I thought, aw, this isn't so bad – we got laws to protect us. We'll get the neighbors together and see what we can…
The House State Affairs Committee's lengthy debate about vote-by-mail legislation this morning included some exchanges in which committee members got a bit huffy. Here’s S-R reporter Parker Howell’s description: Some representatives accused fellow committee members of having little faith in common voters to be informed…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted 11-7 in favor of HB 94, the bill sponsored by county clerks to allow counties the option of going to an all-mail election, after a debate stretching for nearly two hours and lots of testimony both for and…
People are spilling out out both doorways from the House State Affairs Committee this morning as it holds a public hearing on vote-by-mail legislation.Meanwhile, Meanwhile, the House Education Committee has a full house in the Gold Room for two resolutions dealing with recognizing American Sign…
If the state strictly limits the number of float-home moorings on state-owned lakes, is that a free market? State Land Board members indicated Tuesday that it's not – and questioned a recommendation from the state lands staff to repeal the board's reasonable-rent policy for float-home…
Civil liberties advocates and security experts say implementing a federal act ordering states to standardize driver’s licenses would be unfeasible, violate the privacy of law-abiding Americans and cost billions of dollars, reports S-R reporter Parker Howell. Members of a four-person panel gathered in the Gold…
Just how crowded was it at this morning’s hearing on elk farm legislation in the Gold Room, the capitol’s largest hearing room? S-R reporter Parker Howell reports that it was shoulder-to-shoulder, hot, sweaty, and packed as the Senate Ag Committee held public hearings on four…
At this morning’s Land Board meeting – the first for new board members Gov. Butch Otter, state Controller Donna Jones and state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna – Otter referred to Luna as “Super Luna.” A bemused Luna responded to Otter, “Super Governor.”
Legislation introduced yesterday by House GOP leaders would undermine ongoing negotiations between the governor’s office and Idaho Indian tribes. Here’s how: The bill would impose the state's tax on reservation gas sales but suspend its application if a tribe reaches agreement with the governor's office…
Gov. Butch Otter has signed his first batch of bills – and they include HB 29, the $1.7 million supplemental appropriation to finish renovating the old Ada County Courthouse to house the next two – or three – legislative sessions while the capitol is renovated.…
Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, successfully introduced a bill today to require party registration in Idaho – a bill the House State Affairs Committee had refused to introduce last week, without noticing that the co-sponsors included the entire House GOP leadership team. A trip to the…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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