Rep. Sharon Block, R-Twin Falls, got an enthusiastic reception in the House Education Committee this morning for her bill to start a pilot project to give scholarships to kids who remain drug, alcohol and tobacco-free – and pass random drug tests to prove it. HB…
Frugal budgets were set this morning for Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health care for the elderly and disabled. “There will be no rate increases for anyone,” said Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley. “The economic times would indicate that that’s what we have to do.”The…
Legislation to require real estate sales prices to be disclosed to county assessors, so they can accurately calculate taxable market values instead of just guessing, cleared a Senate committee today after nearly two decades of unsuccessful tries. The bipartisan bill wouldn’t make that information public…
Here’s proof that this year’s legislative session really did start off quicker and accomplish more in its earlier weeks than usual: More bills have passed both houses than at this point in the last five sessions (32); more have passed the Senate and are awaiting…
After hours of impassioned testimony that stretched over two days of hearings, the Senate State Affairs Committee has voted 5-4 against SB 1367, the bill to divest state retirement fund assets from companies doing business with Sudan because of the genocide in the Darfur region.…
Gov. Butch Otter has released another op-ed piece to media across the state, this time pushing lawmakers not to put off transportation improvements because of budget concerns. “Simply put, the cost of addressing our transportation infrastructure needs is growing daily,” Otter said in the article.…
In Idaho Sen. Larry Craig’s continuing court fight to withdraw his guilty plea in an airport restroom-sex sting in Minnesota, a new motion has been filed today by the prosecution. It’s a “motion for enlarged brief,” which in this case means the respondents want to…
Gov. Butch Otter isn’t giving up yet on his proposal to shift Idaho State Police funding off the gas tax and onto the general fund, said his budget director, Wayne Hammon. Even though JFAC has sent strong signals that next year’s budget won’t contain that…
The budget-cutting has begun. This morning, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee set a budget for the Idaho State Police for next year that not only leaves out the $9 million-plus fund shift Gov. Butch Otter wanted in order to generate more money for transportation. It also…
According to research by the dairy industry, one reason milk was becoming less popular with schoolchildren was because of its unattractive packaging – those old paper cartons. So the industry developed round, 8-ounce plastic bottles, which kids then praised as making the milk more “cool,”…
Legislative budget analyst Paul Headlee now says House Education Chairman Bob Nonini’s math may have been correct after all, depending on how you calculate. Nonini, quizzed by a JFAC member this morning, said a 1 percent increase in discretionary funding for school districts would cost…
At least for the purpose of preparing budget motions to be considered in the joint committee, JFAC has unanimously accepted the 3 percent CEC, or change in employee compensation, recommendation from a joint committee that met on Friday. That’s down from the governor’s recommendation of…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, who paid a $50,000 federal fine in 2001 for destroying wetlands without a permit while creating ponds on his ranch near the Boise River, is proposing cutbacks in the state Department of Water Resources next year that will eliminate four of…
Gov. Butch Otter is “disappointed” that lawmakers have slashed his proposed 5 percent average raises for state employees next year to 3 percent, said his budget chief, Wayne Hammon. “He’s disappointed we can’t do 5 percent – I had to go out and tell him…
The committee’s staffer, budget analyst Amy Castro, is now reviewing a proposed motion prepared for Rep. Ken Roberts that calls for 3 percent funding for state employee raises, with 1 percent to go across the board to all eligible employees with satisfactory evaluations, and the…
This morning’s meeting of the joint legislative committee on Change in Employee Compensation (CEC in legislative shorthand) will be broadcast live on the Internet on the JFAC channel, as it’s taking place in the JFAC meeting room (which has few audience seats). Go to www.idahoptv.org/leglive…
The live Internet and digital TV broadcasts of action in the House and Senate this year got a big boost today, as the Idaho State Broadcasters Association contributed $35,000 toward the effort for this year’s legislative session. With another $25,000 from the Idaho PTV Foundation…
Legislation to make dog fighting a felony in Idaho won final passage in the House today on a unanimous, 67-0 vote. “We want those dogs to be safe – they are our friends and our companions,” said Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell. “We have no use…
Oopsy. An e-mailed invitation to a Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce town hall meeting with state legislators contained a few typos:Your invited.... The Rathdrum Area Chamber of Commerce is hosing a Town Hall Meeting featuring State Senator Mike Jorgensen, State Reprehensive Jim Clark and State Representative…
Committee chairmen are coming before JFAC today to give their recommendations for state budgets in their subject areas. First up this morning was Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Goedde told the budget writers that his committee has three top…
Here’s a news item that’s just moved on the AP wire:WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate Ethics Committee says Idaho Sen. Larry Craig acted improperly in a men's room sex sting. In a letter Wednesday, the ethics panel says Craig's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea…
Three bills were approved, one will be amended, and five were killed in the Senate Resources Committee this afternoon, as the panel struggled to find middle ground on a split in North Idaho over a proposed basin-wide water rights adjudication. In the end, the solution…
Today, the House will reconvene after lunch to continue its floor session from this morning, in which the chamber considered and voted on nearly a dozen bills. That means all early-afternoon committee meetings, which otherwise would be at 1:30, are held on adjournment of the…
The Senate has voted 26-8 to pass HB 359, the bill to increase Idaho’s aircraft engine fuel tax by 1.5 cents per gallon. Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, the Senate transportation chairman, said pilots have been contacting him about the bill, and they “tell me that…
Gov. Butch Otter has issued a statement calling for full funding of his proposal to put $50 million into a need-based scholarship fund, saying, "Our economy is growing more slowly than it was a year ago. But wise and frugal management and planning by our…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
| Dec. 2008 | Nov. 2008 | Oct. 2008 | Sept. 2008 |
| Aug. 2008 | July 2008 | June 2008 | May 2008 |
| April 2008 | March 2008 | Feb. 2008 | Jan. 2008 |
