After a three-hour hearing with lots of testimony on both sides - but far more against the bill than in favor - Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, made a motion to send SB 1303, Sen. Mike Jorgenson's sweeping immigration legislation, to the amending order. Sen.…
Here's a sampling of the testimony offered so far:Brent Olmstead, lobbyist for the Idaho Business Coalition for Immigration Reform, testified against SB 1303, Sen. Mike Jorgenson's immigration bill. "The domestic workforce no longer wants to do a lot of these jobs, even with a 10…
Members of the Senate State Affairs Committee have pointed out an aspect of SB 1303 that concerns them: It'd require e-Verify checks even on an employer's own family members. "Most of our businesses are small family businesses," Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls. "This bill says…
Kris Kobach, a law professor and former counsel to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, told the Senate State Affairs Committee that there are eight areas of the law within which states can constitutionally take action against illegal immigration, and Arizona is the state that's done the…
JFAC has approved a parks budget for next year that includes a 79.4 percent cut in state general funds from this year, a 25.9 percent increase in federal funds, and a 13.4 percent decrease in dedicated funds, for an overall reduction of 20.8 percent for…
Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, opened the hearing on his controversial immigration bill, SB 1303, this morning by saying, "Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you. You kept your promise - you said you would give this bill a hearing, and you're doing that, and…
People are filtering in for the immigration hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning, at which two bills are up for consideration: SB 1303, from Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, and SB 1271, from Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell. Here, Jorgenson talks with committee…
As JFAC prepares to set a sharply reduced state budget for the Department of Parks & Recreation for next year, Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, is calling on parks supporters to buy $35 annual entrance passes to state parks. "I think everybody needs to buy a…
As this March 8th dawns, the 57th legislative day, there's a plump little slice of moon hanging next to the capitol, and the filing period for candidates for office is opening. Today through March 19 is the time for candidates for the state legislature and…
There's quite a debate tonight on Idaho Reports on public school funding, between state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna; Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley; Sherri Wood, president of the Idaho Education Association; Karen Echeverria, head of the Idaho School Boards Association; and Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum,…
Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, will hold a town hall meeting on Sunday on immigration, along with University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor Kris Kobach, who worked with Jorgenson to draft sweeping legislation aimed at punishing Idaho employers who knowingly employ undocumented immigrants, along with…
Gov. Butch Otter is again criticizing newspaper coverage, this time going after editorial writers at the Lewiston Tribune and Idaho Falls Post Register in a guest opinion co-authored with Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes and House Speaker Lawerence Denney. In the opinion, the three write…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho has missed its tax revenue forecasts by a combined $41 million since December. House GOP leaders Mike Moyle, R-Star, and Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, confirmed that revenue fell more than $15 million short…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how a squabble between North Idaho lawmakers in JFAC this morning nearly killed a highway bonding plan. Half of North Idaho's delegation fought for full funding for a U.S. Highway 95 construction project next year,…
HB 616, sponsored by Reps. Mike Moyle, R-Star, and Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, to limit local improvement districts from undertaking big projects without a vote or a petition from property owners has passed the House on a 42-23 vote. Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, said his…
Sen. Jim Hammond's substitute motion on GARVEE bonding, for $12 million but with priority going to construction, was voted down 8-12; then, a motion was voted on from Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, for $12 million but with priority going first to right-of-way - with…
Two more motions pending on GARVEE bonding now, both for $12 million, with differing strings attached...
The original motion on GARVEE bonding, from Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, also has been killed on a 10-10 tied vote.
Rep. Frank Henderson's substitute motion on a lower amount for GARVEE bonding has died on a tied, 10-10 vote.
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, said his lower GARVEE bonding motion "doesn't delay a thing" on the Garwood-to-Sagle project, because $24 million authorized last year for both right-of-way acquisition and construction on the project remains unspent, awaiting completion of an environmental assessment. "If they can…
There are two competing motions on GARVEE bonding: One from Sens. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, and Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, for $26 million, matching the governor's recommendation; and one from Reps. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, and George Eskridge, R-Dover, for less than half as much, $11…
JFAC is now debating the transportation budget, which includes no state general funds, relying largely on federal funds and revenues from state gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, questioned some trims in the budget. Responded Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, "We're…
State Corrections Director Brent Reinke says the budget set for corrections by JFAC this morning will be "very challenging." He said, "The funds are not there, and so we have to be as creative as we can be and yet keep our staff safe and…
The first divided vote among the divisions of the prison budget came on community corrections, on which Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said she's concerned that an 8.3 percent cut in state general funds for the division could result in inadequate supervision of offenders on probation…
So far, the votes in JFAC this morning on the various pieces of the prison budget all have been unanimous. The Corrections Department budget is divided up into nine different divisions, but overall, the budget plan crafted by legislative budget writers would trim general funds…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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