Lawmakers are wondering if the state's colleges and universities will continue to hike student tuitions, reports AP reporter Jessie Bonner, who covered this morning's budget hearings for Boise State University and Idaho State University. Under questioning from JFAC, BSU President Bob Kustra argued that even…
Former Idaho state Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes has gotten high marks since he took over as head of the Idaho State Tax Commission, but AP reporter John Miller reports that after a year, Geddes is looking to move on. Click below for his full…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― The son of state Rep. Joe Palmer was arrested and booked into the Ada County Jail over the weekend on felony and misdemeanor drug charges. The Idaho Statesman reports (http://bit.ly/yivPeC ) 21-year-old Cord…
Idaho's dominant Republican Party on Monday deepened an intense internal fight, the AP reports, with the state GOP chairman and House speaker announcing they'd fired two of their own redistricting commissioners, at least in part because they hadn't helped the party enough. Meanwhile, the two…
An offshoot of one of Kootenai County's numerous Republican clubs filed a statewide initiative Monday to privatize liquor sales in Idaho. The move is separate from one that had been mulled by the same grocery association that backed the successful liquor privatization drive in Washington…
The "Idaho Federation of Reagan Republicans," an expanded version of the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans group that's intending to go statewide, announced today that it plans to submit its own proposed initiative to privatize liquor sales in Idaho, separate from an effort that's been in…
Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney and state GOP Chairman Norm Semanko have now submitted their own legal opinion, written by attorney Christ Troupis, contradicting the Idaho Attorney General's opinion finding that they can't remove their appointees to the citizen redistricting commission. "The legal opinion provided…
The Idaho Democratic Party issued a statement this afternoon decrying the latest move by Idaho GOP Chairman Norm Semanko and GOP House Speaker Lawerence Denney to attempt to fire their two appointees to the state's bipartisan citizen redistricting commission. "Make no mistake, this is a…
Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, today proposed a "right to hunt, fish and trap" amendment to the Idaho state Constitution, saying, "I'm surprised that this wasn't part of the Constitution when Idaho became a state over 100 years ago." The amendment, for which the next…
Twin Falls Times-News reporter Melissa Davlin reports that GOP redistricting commissioner Randy Hansen of Twin Falls didn't know he'd been removed from the commission by state GOP Chairman Norm Semanko until receiving reporters' calls today; you can read her story here. The party responded by…
Idaho could save $200,000 a year by no longer using certified mail to send two types of deficiency notices to delinquent taxpayers, and instead using first-class mail. The reason: 35 percent of certified mail is returned, simply because folks don't bother to pick it up.…
The Senate has voted unanimously, 34-0, in favor of SJR 102, in what sponsor Sen. Denton Darrington called "a bit of history in the making." The measure is a constitutional amendment; to take effect, it requires two-thirds approval in both houses of the Legislature and…
The Idaho Republican Party just sent out this news release, despite an Idaho Attorney General's opinion issued last week saying there's no legal way to remove redistricting commissioners: Chairman Semanko and Speaker Denney to Appoint New Redistricting Commissioners Tuesday Boise, Idaho – The Idaho Republican…
After more than two hours of testimony, the House State Affairs Committee has adjourned after hearing from all those who signed up to testify; several deferred their chance to speak and submitted their testimony in writing. "I'm sure this will take some time to debate…
Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, told Occupy Boise volunteer Dean Gunderson, "This is nothing but chaos to me, because as long as everyone behaves according to your doctrine and your group's doctrine, no one else can participate over there because you've set up your own…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The president of Idaho State University says the school has not only increased its reserves to more than $12 million, but also rearranged programs on the Pocatello campus to help cut costs and…
Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa, told Occupy Boise volunteer Dean Gunderson, "I don't think we're going to restrict your right to have a vigil or have a protest." Instead, he said, the legislation would restrict people from staying overnight, but protests still could occur on the…
Dean Gunderson, a volunteer with Occupy Boise, said the vigil has actually reduced crime in the Capitol Mall area; a participant reported a person who was seen vandalizing cars in the area, and the police apprehended the vandal. Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, asked Gunderson,…
Among the testimony at this morning's hearing on HB 404, the bill to evict Occupy Boise from state property across from the Capitol: Fairy Hitchcock, who said she's a registered lobbyist on behalf of herself and her family, spoke in favor of the bill, the…
First up to testify on HB 404 this morning, the bill to ban camping on the Capitol Mall grounds and evict the Occupy Boise encampment from state property across from the capitol, was Geoff Burns, an older man neatly dressed in a sweater, tie and…
Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, is proposing amendments to HB 404, the bill to evict the Occupy Boise encampment from state property across from the Capitol. King wants to remove the emergency clause, so the bill wouldn't take effect until July 1st; limit fines for violations…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
