Here's an excerpt from AP reporter John Miller's analysis today of the quirks and oddities of this year's waning legislative session: "Despite reports to the contrary," Cabela's spokesman David Draper told The Associated Press on Thursday, "we do not prohibit employees from lawfully possessing, carrying…
As the 95th day of this year's legislative session winds down this afternoon, it sounds like things are looking largely promising for the new budget deal, which cuts statewide personnel spending from the general fund next year by 5 percent, but allows the governor to…
State Controller Donna Jones has issued a press release on the topic of HB 263, the unsuccessful proposal from Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, this year to essentially put the state's checkbook online. Jones says her office has already been working on exactly that, and will…
The budget for the state Department of Environmental Quality, which was briefly held up earlier in the House amid controversy over funding to implement the Coeur d'Alene Lake Management Plan, has passed the Senate unanimously without any debate. The bill, HB 276, earlier passed the…
Both the House and Senate GOP caucuses, which met behind closed doors to talk about what they're calling "Son of 1222," the new budget deal with the governor, were generally receptive to the deal, according to House GOP Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, and Senate…
After putting it off repeatedly from one day to the next, the House today decided to delay taking up one of the bills on its 3rd Reading calendar - SB 1152, a bill changing some legal details regarding worker's compensation that's sponsored by Senate Majority…
Now both parties in the House are caucusing, the Republicans behind closed doors, the Democrats openly. Like the other side, all are talking about the tentative deal between lawmakers and the governor on statewide personnel cuts and other issues in the final budget bill that…
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, when it came time for announcements in the Senate before recessing until 2 p.m., noted that today is the birthday of Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, and the Senate wished him a happy birthday. "Of course, if we stay here long enough,…
Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, told the Senate that the project to renovate the state Capitol is now 20 days behind schedule, instead of the previous 28 days. "Progress is being made," he said.
Now the Senate is back in session, to pick up a couple of bills from its 2nd Reading calendar, on inventory stickers on liquor bottles and on food service in the state Capitol, before going to lunch. The Senate finance chairman is scheduled to brief…
Senate Democrats are in their open caucus, talking. Senate Republicans are still behind closed doors in their caucus, talking. And the House is in the midst of a protracted debate over a bighorn sheep bill.
The Senate has taken a break and Republicans headed into a closed-door caucus, with the now-usual large chair wedged against the door of their meeting room to keep it closed. Senate Democrats haven't gone into caucus yet; when a reporter snapped a photo of them…
Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Idaho Falls, brought his legislation promoting employees storing guns in their cars at work to the Senate State Affairs Committee, where it barely passed on a 4-3 vote. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, spoke out in favor of the bill,…
House State Affairs Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, was presenting the redistricting bill to his committee this morning when he got a tough question. Glancing behind him, he said, "I see the cavalry is here," and deferred to Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, House…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
