Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Labor: ‘We can fit it in’

Chief Deputy Director of the Idaho Department of Labor John McAllister says the Department of Labor has been eyeing two funds, one that comes from penalty and interest payments from employment law violators and can be tapped by the state Board of Examiners, and another created by the Legislature in 1991 that contains interest earnings on reserves and can be used to run the Department of Labor, as possible funding sources for a reorganized Idaho Human Rights Commission. "We've looked through all our spending priorities and tried to rearrange things," McAllister told JFAC under questioning from lawmakers. "We think we can handle it for the next four years. We do financial forecasts and we can fit it in by delaying some projects are canceling some projects. Those are the two funding sources."

Pam Parks, Human Rights director, said there's precedent in other states, including Texas and New Mexico, for having the Human Rights Commission under the Department of Labor. "It's not without precedent.



Eye On Boise

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