Here's a news item from the Associated Press: NAMPA, Idaho (AP) — Former Caldwell Senator John McGee has stepped down as chairman of the Canyon County Republican Central Committee. The decision to leave the committee post came days after McGee resigned his Senate seat amid…
The House has voted 56-9 in favor of the newly revised Idaho Energy Plan, HCR 34. Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, said Idaho enjoys some of the lowest electric rates in the nation, but at the same time, "Idaho's position as an importer of more than…
The $35.7 million tax cut bill that cleared the House Rev & Tax Committee today would go only to those paying Idaho's corporate income tax, and to top earners who are paying at the highest individual income tax rate. That's because the bill lowers rates…
HB 417, Rep. Frank Henderson's sales tax break bill for aircraft parts installed into out-of-state aircraft - which Henderson, based on his research, says will generate dozens of high-paying aircraft technician jobs around the state at Idaho businesses - has passed the Senate on a…
The House Revenue & Taxation Committee has approved HB 563 on a 13-4 vote, and sent it to the full House with a recommendation that it "do pass." The bill, which permanently cuts individual and corporate income taxes for top earners by $35.7 million a…
Idaho Commerce chief Jeff Sayer, speaking in favor of HB 563, the $35.7 million tax cut to the Rev & Tax Committee this morning, said, "This legislation helps us." He said in competing to attract businesses, "The analogy we like to use is window dressing.…
Donna Yule, executive director of the Idaho Public Employees Association, spoke against HB 563, the $35.7 million tax cut bill. "It seems to me to be the height of irresponsibility to pass any kind of tax relief or tax cut at this particular moment in…
John Watts, lobbyist for the Idaho Chamber Alliance, spoke in favor of HB 563, the $35.7 million tax cut bill. "A corporate tax cut would put Idaho in the game," he said; Idaho's corporate tax rate currently ranks 23rd in the nation, he said, but…
House Rev & Tax Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, told David Hensley, Gov. Butch Otter's chief of staff, "As you know and he knows, I'm a critic of this legislation, simply because in my analysis of where we're at with the state, we do not have…
The House Rev & Tax Committee has taken up HB 563, the bill to cut Idaho's personal and corporate income tax rates. "It lowers taxes in the state of Idaho, it makes Idaho more competitive with its surrounding states," said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle,…
The House Rev & Tax Committee has voted 10-5 against a motion to reject another piece of legislative Democrats' IJOBS 2.0 package, and instead voted to introduce the bill, which proposes an investment tax credit for new agricultural processing facilities. The measure was proposed by…
Lawmakers on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee have set a $27.7 million general-fund budget for the state's three community colleges for next year, which, like the university budget, includes a boost for expected enrollment growth next year, but nothing to cover jumps in enrollment in the…
A higher education budget for next year with an 8.6 percent increase in state general funds has cleared the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on a unanimous, 17-0 vote. Under the budget, higher ed funding in fiscal year 2013 would be slightly below where Idaho funded the…
JFAC members were at odds this morning over a $6,900 difference in a budget proposal for the Idaho Secretary of State's office for next year, for travel funds for the four members of the Commission on Uniform Laws to attend an annual conference this year…
Budgets will be set this morning for higher education, including the state's four-year colleges and universities and its community colleges. First up, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has the budget for the Idaho State Historical Society. Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, proposed the governor's recommendation, leaving…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho — House lawmakers sank a proposal to expand port districts from Idaho's rivers to the state's other transportation thoroughfares. The Revenue and Taxation Committee voted 15-3 Monday against Coeur d'Alene Sen. John Goedde's measure to…
At the close of business today, 73 candidates had filed to run for the state Legislature so far; you can see the full list here. Candidate filing runs through March 9. Among this afternoon's additions: Former gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell has filed to run against…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how Idaho’s House transportation chairman, who successfully pushed a bill through the House last week to shut off parking meters around the state Capitol during legislative sessions, didn’t disclose that his 24-year-old son has gotten…
When House Transportation Chairman Joe Palmer opened debate in the House last week on his bill to shut off parking meters around the Statehouse during the legislative session, he said, "I'll just let everybody know up front that this is about parking and parking tickets,…
The Senate Education Committee has approved SB 1331 on a unanimous voice vote; it would halt all future cuts to state teacher salary funds now required by the "Students Come First" school reform law to fund the technology and performance-pay bonuses the law requires. The…
Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, is pitching SB 1331, his bill to reverse the future cuts in state teacher salary funds required by the "Students Come First" reform law, to the Senate Education Committee this afternoon. "As long as I've been here, public schools…
Nate Fisher, head of Idaho's Office of Species Conservation since 2001, has resigned, reports Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker; you can read his full post here. Barker reports that Fisher said he's had an "uphill battle lately" on endangered species issues.
Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, chairman of the House Revenue & Taxation Committee, won't run for re-election, reports Clark Corbin, reporter for the Idaho Falls Post-Register. Corbin tweeted, "He will not seek re-election. Formal announcement coming today." Lake, 74, is in his 8th term in the…
Occupy Boise member Mary Reali called today's federal court ruling - which upholds the state's new ban on camping on state property, but blocks removal of the Occupy Boise tents on 1st Amendment grounds - "a victory for our freedom of speech, for what we…
The filing period opened today for state legislative offices, and so far, 22 incumbents and two challengers, Kent Marmon of Caldwell and Doyle Beck of Idaho Falls, brother of GOP activist Rod Beck of Boise, have filed to run; the Idaho Secretary of State's office…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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