The first public school budget bill, HB 323, dealing with administrators, passed the House on a 44-24 vote. The second, HB 324, for the division of teachers, includes a cut in the base salary for teachers of 2.63 percent and reducing the state's minimum teacher…
The House has reconvened and begun debate on the public school budget bills, starting with HB 323, the division of administrators. Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, noted that the overall school budget, which is contained in five separate bills, is a tough one for Idaho this…
After their hour-long caucus, which ran through the lunch hour, House Republican leaders said they're still planning to try to unilaterally adjourn for the session tonight - possibly as late as 10 p.m. "We're moving ahead with our plan to get done with our agenda…
House Republicans have emerged from their closed-door caucus, and a Ways & Means Committee meeting is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, said the House and Senate have reached an agreement on election consolidation. "That'll be printed in Ways &…
Senate Education Chairman John Goedde's amendment to HB 303a, to add in a clause giving school districts flexibility for the next year on use of maintenance funds, has won Senate approval. The Senate then recessed until 2 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls,…
It was close, but the Senate has defeated a proposed amendment to HB 303a that would have limited the funding for "virtual" instruction to just the Idaho Digital Learning Academy and courses offered by public Idaho colleges or universities. Sen. Dick Sagness, D-Pocatello, who sponsored…
In their open caucus, House Democrats expressed some disappointment about the House plan to unilaterally adjourn today, and the cost and uncertainty posed by the gambit. "How long do they intend to keep playing this game of chicken?" asked Rep. Anne Pasley-Stuart, D-Boise. Meanwhile, the…
The House convened, moved a long list of appropriation bills to its 3rd Reading calendar, and then recessed until 1:30 to allow both parties to hold caucuses.
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, asked what he felt came out of the joint leadership meeting with the governor this morning, said, "We didn't make any progress yet today." Senate leaders joined the meeting for about the final hour, he said. Told that…
House and Senate leaders have emerged from a lengthy meeting with the governor, but there's no deal. "We had good discussions," said Speaker Lawerence Denney. "The bottom line is he still wants gas tax, and the bottom line is we can't deliver it." So, Denney…
The governor is meeting with House and Senate GOP leaders in his third-floor conference room at the Borah Building; it's been more than an hour. Everyone in the Capitol Annex seems to be standing around, waiting to see what comes out of the confab...
The Senate Finance Committee has voted 8-1 to approve HB 199, allowing the state Board of Education to offer deferred compensation plans when recruiting certain top university employees, which allow the employees to reap tax benefits. The measure has been lobbied by BSU's lobbyist, former…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
