Here's a link to the final list of candidates filing today, which was delayed this evening because of a last-minut crush of filings. It includes some surprises, from Sen. Nicole LeFavour of Boise running for Congress in the 2nd District, to a lack of any…
On tonight's "Idaho Reports," I join Jim Weatherby, Kevin Richert, Clark Corbin and host Greg Hahn to discuss the legislative developments of the week, with much focus on today's candidate filing news. The program also includes Hahn's interviews with House Speaker Lawerence Denney and Senate…
As the 5 p.m. filing deadline to run for the Legislature approaches, the ranks of those running is swelling; among those filing today are Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, who will seek a fifth House term. Hart will have at least a four-way GOP primary; his…
Here's how Idaho senators voted in the 17-17 tie on the motion to send HB 464, the oil/gas bill, to the 14th Order for amendments; Lt. Gov. Brad Little voted yes and broke the tie. Voting yes: Sens. Andreason, Bilyeu, Bock, Broadsword, Cameron, Corder, Darrington,…
The Senate has voted 17-17 on Sen. Mitch Toryanski's motion to send HB 464, the oil/gas bill, to the 14th Order for amendments; Lt. Gov. Brad Little then broke the tie, voting yes, and the bill will go to the amending order. In the debate,…
Sen. Mitch Toryanski, R-Boise, told the Senate he favors state control of natural resources. “We haven't used our natural resources to our benefit. That's why the economy of Canada is doing so well when we continue to suffer.” But he read from the rules for…
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, asked a series of questions of Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, about HB 464, the oil/gas well bill. Among them: On what basis could the state deny a permit? Cameron said he met with the state Department of Lands, and was told…
The Idaho State Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting for 2:30 this afternoon on the youth athlete concussion guidelines legislation. The public can listen in by calling (877) 807-5706, and entering public participant code 996241.
"When I originally looked at the bill, I had three concerns, local control, water rights and injection wells,” Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, told the Senate, in his extended opening debate on HB 464 on state regulation of oil and gas development. “I am now completely…
The Senate is taking up HB 464, the controversial measure to pre-empt county authority on siting of new oil and gas wells. Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, told the Senate that oil and gas development is a new and growing industry for Idaho. “Our statutes and…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― A Republican-dominated Senate committee aims to forbid Idaho state and local government from requiring union labor on public works projects. Friday's party-line Senate State Affairs Committee vote came despite warnings from union attorney…
After much discussion and debate, the House State Affairs Committee has voted to hold off on passing HJR 1, Sen. Steve Vick's measure to amend the Idaho Constitution to require a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate for any tax or fee increase; committee…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has now set all agency budgets for next year. There's still the question of transfers to reserve funds, but that won't be taken up until next week. In total, JFAC has appropriated slightly less than Gov. Butch Otter recommended, $2.70 billion…
One of the biggest single budgets in state government, for Medicaid, will be pegged at $474.2 million in state funds for next year, $1.9 billion in total funds, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee decided this morning on a unanimous, 18-0 vote. That's an 8.7 percent increase…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted 12-6 to send HB 578, Rep. Phil Hart's “sound money” bill to declare gold and silver coins to be legal tender in Idaho, to the House's amending order. Hart told the panel yesterday the bill needs a series…
The budget set this morning for the Division of Welfare within the state Department of Health & Welfare doesn't include funding to switch to a multi-day issuance of food stamps, rather than the current single-day issuance; the Northwest Grocery Association has offered $100,000 toward the…
The House State Affairs Committee is continuing its hearing this morning on Rep. Phil Hart's “sound money” bill, HB 578, to declare gold and silver coins “legal tender” in Idaho. Among those testifying in favor of the bill so far are two GOP primary challengers…
The Idaho Department of Commerce would see a big percentage boost in its state funding next year, under a budget set by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning, but that's mainly because of $1 million in IGEM funding that's part of the department's budget and…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
