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Eye On Boise archive for May 2009

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009


Senate Transportation Chairman John McGee, R-Caldwell, urges the Senate on Thursday to pass HB 334, to raise DMV fees by $13.1 million a year. The bill passed and now goes to the governor. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

DMV fee bill passes Senate

The Senate has voted 28-5 in favor of HB 334, the bill to raise DMV administrative fees, for things like title certificates and driver's licenses, by $13.1 million a year. Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, said he was unhappy that the fees "will be imposed…

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The House Ways & Means Committee considers three new transportation bills on Thursday morning, as part of a session-ending transportation funding deal. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Transportation bills all to 2nd reading

The three new transportation bills all were introduced in Ways & Means and sent to the 2nd Reading calendar in the House. Chairman Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, expressed concern about setting up a situation where ISP and parks funding would have to rely on a…

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Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, presents a new education funding bill to the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Ways & Means introduces ed bill 

House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, told the House Ways & Means Committee just now, "I think we can all agree with this, that education is going the way of virtuals." HB 303, which sought to fund virtual, or online education, just like funding…

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Ways & Means to consider four new bills

The House Ways & Means Committee has posted an agenda for a meeting this morning, to consider four new bills:* One regarding a governor's task force on transportation funding, to be presented by House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly* One on a task force…

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009

No privatization for Orofino prison 

The Idaho Department of Correction has decided against pursuing privatization of the state prison at Orofino, a controversial move opposed by the local community, where the state prison is among the major employers. "The department identified several key services provided at the Orofino prison that…

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'It's been a productive day'

Jon Hanian, press secretary for Gov. Butch Otter, declined to comment on the transportation funding deal this afternoon, but said, "I can tell you that it's been a very productive day. It's been a busy day. ... We feel like we've been able to make…

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House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, says after a House GOP caucus on Wednesday afternoon that House members "seem to be OK" with the new transportation deal, at least conceptually. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Bedke: 'Seems to be OK conceptually'

The Senate reconvened, amended HB 338, the ethanol bill, as planned, and adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow. The House also has adjourned until the same time. Meanwhile, the House minority and majority caucuses have concluded, and House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, said, "There…

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Former hostage bill released

The House Education Committee has met and passed out HB 211, a bill that adjusts legislation that passed last year to standardize residency rules for higher education. The change, which isn't controversial, accommodates Idahoans who go elsewhere for their undergraduate education, then return to their…

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Senate Transportation Chairman John McGee, R-Caldwell, presides over a committee meeting Wednesday afternoon as part of a tentative, session-ending deal on transportation funding. At right is Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

'Optimistic we'll be done tomorrow' 

Legislation to raise $13.1 million a year more from DMV fees also has cleared the Senate Transportation Committee and is on its way to the full Senate, as part of a tentative end-of-session transportation funding deal. Meanwhile, House Republicans are headed into a closed-door caucus…

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Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, presents HB 226 to the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday afternoon. The bill seeks to make Idaho a Mecca for special truck logo license plates as a possible money-raiser for road work. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Senate committee endorses trailer-plate bill 

HB 226, the bill from Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, to attempt to make Idaho a truck trailer logo license-plate Mecca, passed the House unanimously on March 20, but has languished ever since. Now it's being heard in the Senate Transportation Committee, as one small piece…

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House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, presents an ethanol bill to the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday afternoon, as part of a deal on transportation funding. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Senate Transportation clears ethanol bill

The Senate Transportation Committee has voted unanimously to add an amendment to HB 338, the bill eliminating the ethanol exemption from fuel tax, to direct the distribution of the funds to ITD for road maintenance. "We decided this about an hour ago," Senate Transportation Chairman…

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A tentative deal on transportation funding...

A tentative agreement has emerged on transportation funding, and the Senate Transportation Committee will meet momentarily. There are three bills on its agenda: HB 226, Rep. Marv Hagedorn's bill regarding truck license plates; HB 334, the DMV fee bill; and HB 338, the ethanol bill.…

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House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, said Wednesday that opposition from House Transportation Chairwoman JoAn Wood to any further transportation funding this year doesn't reflect the feeling of the House GOP caucus. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Denney: 'He's mediating between us'

House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, had this to say about the House GOP leadership's meeting with the governor this morning: "We're still talking, and that's good." Denney said, "I think we will caucus - I've told people to be back around 2."Of the ongoing talks…

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Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, tells the Senate that Republicans are headed back into another closed-door caucus on Wednesday afternoon. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

'There's been some give and take' 

The Senate has convened, just briefly, and then the majority went back into a closed-door caucus meeting. Senate GOP leaders said when they arrived at Gov. Butch Otter's office, the House GOP leaders already had left. They met separately with the governor for about an…

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Amended ed bills signed into law

Gov. Butch Otter has signed HB 256 and HB 262 into law. The bills, as amended in the Senate, make changes in the formula for reimbursing school districts for student busing costs, and freeze teachers' movement on the salary grid for experience for one year.…

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Senators including Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, center, and Sen. Shirley McKague, R-Meridian, emerge from a closed-door caucus on Wednesday. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

'It could really move fast' 

Senate Republicans emerged from their closed-door caucus, and their leadership, plus the Senate finance and transportation committee chairmen, headed straight over to meet with Gov. Butch Otter, who's already been meeting with House GOP leaders. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said the governor's office called…

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'In the mix' 

Here's a news item from AP: "Lawmakers and Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter are discussing ways to end the impasse keeping the 2009 Legislature in Boise. In the mix: A plan to levy new fees for traffic infractions and registrations, to wean roughly $16 million in…

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Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, right, talks as Sen. Dick Sagness, D-Pocatello, listens during an open Senate minority caucus on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans met behind closed doors, and House Republican leaders met with Gov. Butch Otter. (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Both houses convene, recess

The House has convened and recessed indefinitely, as the entire House GOP leadership team headed off to meet with Gov. Butch Otter again. The Senate convened, did some formal business, and then recessed until 2 p.m. for caucuses for both parties. Senate Majority Leader Bart…

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2009

Senate and House GOP leaders return to the Capitol Annex from a Tuesday afternoon meeting with Gov. Butch Otter, at which no agreement was reached, but the lawmakers said they're all "communicating." (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

'It's better than not'

House and Senate GOP leaders emerged from their meeting with the governor just now looking somewhat encouraged, but reporting nothing more than vague "progress." House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, said, "We discussed several things - nothing ready for prime time yet, though. ... We will…

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House Speaker Lawerence Denney, shown here in his office at the Capitol Annex, has unilaterally decided to kill legislation to expand Idaho's Sunshine Law.
 (Betsy Russell / The Spokesman-Review)

Denney kills Sunshine Law expansion 13 

Idaho's speaker of the House has decided to unilaterally kill legislation to expand Idaho's Sunshine Law, which would have ended the state's distinction as one of just three states with no personal financial disclosure requirements for elected officials or candidates. "The Senate and the governor…

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Eye On Boise

News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.



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