Sen. Chuck Winder's comments about rape victims in his closing debate yesterday on the pre-abortion ultrasound bill in the Senate have set off a national firestorm of criticism, after they were picked up by the Huffington Post and other national outlets, which linked to the…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Bottle-cap maker Crown Holdings might want to pop the top off a celebratory bottle, after a bill to limit its asbestos liability in Idaho cleared the Senate and headed to Gov. C.L. "Butch"…
The House has voted 39-30 in favor of HB 486a, the tanning-bed bill; now that it's passed the House, the measure moves to a Senate committee. Opponents included Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, who said, "We're in essence requiring an owner to put down the…
The House is now debating HB 486a, the tanning-bed bill. Rep. John Rusche, D-Lewiston, said the bill as amended bans use of tanning beds for children 15 and under, and requires parental consent for those age 16 or 17. Idaho already has such regulations regarding…
After much debate, the House has just killed Rep. Phil Hart's gold and silver coin bill on a 35-35, tied vote. The bill sought to declare gold and silver coins to be legal tender in Idaho, and Hart said it would allow people to pay…
Idaho Statesman reporter Patrick Orr has a full story today on Cynthia Clinkingbeard, the 1st District congressional candidate who was arrested over the weekend after threatening Staples employees with a 9mm handgun. The former physician, whose medical license was revoked in 2005, was charged with…
After House debate turned sharply against the bill, Rep. Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, today pulled HB 663 from the House floor, asking that it be sent back to the House Education Committee. The bill would allow charter schools to tap into a subsidy program that now…
The House Ways & Means Committee has voted along party lines to introduce new emergency legislation regarding the Capitol Mall, aimed at authorizing the state Department of Administration to promulgate rules governing the property and requiring permits for various uses. State Department of Administration Director…
The House has recessed until 2:30; the House Ways & Means Committee will meet at 1:15 and consider a new bill from state Administration Director Teresa Luna regarding rules governing the Capitol Mall. Meanwhile, the Senate has recessed until 3:15 p.m., and tomorrow morning's Senate…
The Senate has voted 12-22 against HB 524, House-passed legislation from Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, to expand Idaho's disturbing the peace law to address a situation that's arisen between hostile neighbor his his district. Numerous senators said the bill, which would make it a…
It's long been the custom for Statehouse reporters to don ugly ties when the legislative session stretches overly long, in hopes that the garish neckwear will so disgust and offend lawmakers that they'll wrap up their business and get out of town. I've taken a…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Sen. Jeff Siddoway's unconventional conflict-of-interest declaration during Monday's debate over an abortion ultrasound mandate was designed to protest an ethics investigation into his Senate colleague. Siddoway made a motion asking to be excused…
The House has voted 53-17 in favor of SB 1274a, the bill to ban texting while driving. It's a significant vote - the bill had languished for weeks on the House calendar, and it's an issue that's been quashed in the House repeatedly in recent…
The Senate Ethics Committee has adjourned until tomorrow at 8 a.m., and things got a little hot at the end. Senate Assistant Minority Leader Les Bock wanted to offer a few more comments, but Chairman Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, opted to put that off. Sen.…
Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, made it clear that he's not convinced Sen. Monty Pearce had a conflict of interest in oil and gas legislation, despite having signed an oil and gas lease with a company that was a major proponent of the bill. "The…
"When that bill comes out of committee, it is nothing more than a recommendation," attorney Chuck Peterson told the Senate Ethics Committee on behalf of Sen. Monty Pearce. "And his actions in committee do not necessarily result in any action on the floor ... That's…
Chuck Peterson, attorney for Senate Resources Chairman Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, told the Senate Ethics Committee this morning on Pearce's behalf that though he recognizes other disagree, he doesn't read the Senate rules to require disclosures of conflicts of interest before committee votes. "The rule…
Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane is addressing some questions for the Senate Ethics Committee now. He said Senate Assistant Minority Leader Les Bock was correct that Mason's Manual, which lawmakers follow for rules of order, "does refer to both personal and pecuniary benefit" when determining…
Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, who serves on the Senate Resources Committee, is now detailing for the Senate Ethics Committee the process of consideration that committee members went through when considering HB 464, the oil and gas development bill that pre-empted county authority over siting of…
Senate Assistant Minority Leader Les Bock, D-Boise, an attorney, though one who's no longer practicing, told the Senate Ethics Committee this morning that Senate Resources Chairman Monty Pearce's own declaration that he had a conflict of interest with HB 464, regarding oil and gas developing,…
The Senate Ethics Committee this morning has received a revised complaint from Senate minority leaders and a response from Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, to the ethics complaint against him. The Democrats' revised complaint adds some detail about "pecuniary interest," saying that Pearce's oil and…