This morning, minority Democrats in the Idaho Legislature announced three new ethics reform proposals and called on Republicans to work with them on the bills - and by this afternoon, the Republicans had agreed. The Democrats called for requiring financial disclosure from public and elected…
Idaho's House Resources and Conservation Committee voted 16-1 today in favor of proposed new rules regulating oil and gas drilling in the state, reports Idaho Statesman reporter Rocky Barker, who reports that the lone "no" vote came from Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, who worried…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's new legislation to let big trucks drive 75 on Idaho's freeways, just like cars; Idaho's current truck speed limit on freeways is 65 mph. In Washington, the top freeway speed for trucks is 60…
The Senate Education Committee has adjourned for the day without voting on the State Board of Education's online course rule; vice-chairman Sen. Dean Mortimer said the panel would "hold this and all further rules 'til tomorrow." Committee Chairman John Goedde has a meeting at 5…
State schools Superintendent Tom Luna, testifying in favor of the state Board of Education's online course rule, told the Senate Education Committee, "Education all across the country is changing for the betterment and focus on our students." He said his goal is that Idaho's high…
Among the testimony at this afternoon's hearing on Idaho's new rule requiring high school students to take two online courses to graduate: Julie Browning of Boise, parent of two children enrolled in Idaho Virtual Academy, testified in favor of the rule. "We have to employ…
Among the testimony on the online course requirement rule this afternoon: Janet Orndorff of the Boise School Board asked to remove the requirement that one of the two online classes Idaho students would be required to take for graduation be "asynchronous"; she said the Idaho…
With lawmakers considering allowing big trucks to drive 75 on Idaho freeways, here's a comparison of Idaho's freeway speed limits to surrounding states, from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, December 2011: Idaho: 75 mph cars, 65 mph trucks Montana: 75 mph cars, 65 mph…
Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, said he has a rebuttal to the argument that requiring students to take online courses will send state education funds to out-of-state providers. "The objection to money being sent out of state - where are the textbooks published…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has been under financial pressure after Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter moved to wean the agency from taxpayer support two years ago. Now, director Nancy Merrill is…
As the Senate Education Committee prepared to hold its hearing this afternoon on the administrative rule approved by the State Board of Education requiring two online classes for Idaho students to graduate from high school, committee Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, noted that lawmakers passed…
Big trucks could drive 75 on Idaho's freeways, just like cars, under legislation introduced in the Senate Transportation Committee today at the behest of its chairman, Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene; Idaho's current truck speed limit on freeways is 65 mph. "The intent of this…
Medical marijuana legislation was introduced in the Idaho House today, where Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, introduced HB 370 as a personal bill. He proposed similar legislation last year; it got an informational hearing from the House Health & Welfare Committee, but didn't proceed. HB 370…
Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill is also responding favorably to legislative Democrats' call today for bipartisan work on three new ethics reforms they've put forth: Financial disclosure, a one-year wait before former lawmakers or public officials could register as lobbyists, and a whistleblower hotline. Hill…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney had a favorable reaction today to legislative Democrats' announcement that they'll put forth three more ethics bills and they'd like to work with Republicans on them. "I think that's wise," Denney said. The GOP speaker said he'd be amenable to having…
Today, former state Rep. Branden Durst announced that he'll challenge Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise, and Democrat Janie Ward-Engelking announced that she'll challenge Rep. Julie Ellsworth, R-Boise, in a rematch of the super-close 2010 election in Boise's District 18. Durst lost to Toryanski by just 103…
Legislative Democrats today announced that they'll be proposing three additional ethics reform bills: A financial disclosure bill dubbed the "Conflict of Interest Act;" a revolving-door bill called the "Lobbyist Restriction Act" that would impose a one-year waiting period before public officials or legislators could register…
One bright spot as far as funding in the Medicaid budget for next year: The federal matching rate for Idaho, known by the acronym FMAP, will rise from 70.23 percent to 71 percent on Oct. 1, 2012. That means the blended FMAP rate used for…
Overall, Idaho's Medicaid program is making the savings anticipated from program cuts in last year's HB 260, division administrator Paul Leary told JFAC this morning, though not every cut has yielded the expected savings. Examples: Cutting non-emergency dental coverage for adults will meet or exceed…
The Medicaid budget, which makes up 81 percent of the Department of Health & Welfare budget request for next year, is up next; lawmakers will hear presentations and discuss it over the next two hours. The request for next year is for $481 million in…
Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley, said he's concerned that the ongoing cost of $220,000 a year, half of which would come from state funds, is too high for the changeover from single-day distribution of food stamps to the new 10-day staggered system. Said Wood, "$220,000 seems…
Gov. Butch Otter's budget recommendation for next year includes the proposal from the state Department of Health & Welfare and the Northwest Grocers Association to shift the state's food-stamp distribution program from single-day distribution on the 1st of each month to a staggered, 10-day distribution,…
This morning, as the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee continues its week of health and human services budget hearings, the Department of Health & Welfare's Division of Welfare is first up. Administrator Russ Barron shared some stats about the 235,000 Idahoans now receiving food stamps, which are…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
