Boise State Public Radio is hosting a “Community Conversation About the Future of Idaho’s Schools” Tuesday night at Salt Tears Noshery, 4714 W. State St. in Boise, starting at 6 tonight. Reporter Adam Cotterell and Morning Edition host Scott Graf will lead an informal community…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador says he's waiting to see what happens in Congress and efforts to reform immigration before deciding whether to run for Idaho governor. Labrador is among several Republicans who have…
The feud that's broken out into the open between Idaho GOP Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador - detailed in a Sunday story in the Idaho Statesman by reporter Dan Popkey - is the top political news of the day in Idaho. Click below for…
The House State Affairs subcommittee on rules of the state Department of Administration, chaired by Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, took public testimony this morning on the proposed new rules for use of the Capitol grounds, and then voted to refer the rules to the…
Idaho’s Department of Health & Welfare, the state’s largest agency, has faced record caseloads, reduced workforce and cuts in benefits in recent years, Director Dick Armstrong told JFAC this morning as he gave an overview of H&W division budget hearings to come. Two-thirds of department’s…
Amid many questions, the Senate State Affairs Committee has wrapped up its hearing this morning on proposed new use rules for the Capitol and its grounds without a vote, postponing that until its next meeting on Wednesday. Chairman Curt McKenzie said before voting, he’d like…
Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, questioned state Department of Administration Director Teresa Luna as to why the department didn't conduct negotiated rulemaking on its controversial new capitol grounds use rules. "That to me seems like an abdication of the responsibility of the agency," Siddoway said. Luna…
Trends in Idaho’s catastrophic health care fund show a big jump in reported cases in 2012, CAT fund Director Roger Christensen told JFAC this morning. The new case load was 4,363 cases in fiscal year 2010, 4,590 in 2011 and 6,491 in 2012. Mental health…
Idaho Senate State Affairs Chairman Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, says there are several people who have signed up to testify on the capitol grounds use rules this morning, but he doesn't plan to allow any testimony. "Typically when we do rules review, we do not take…
JFAC has opened this morning with its hearing on the Catastrophic Health Care fund, the program that pays for catastrophic medical bills for Idahoans who can't pay. "We're getting affected by the local economic conditions, because we are the safety net, as this is designed,"…
On tonight’s “Idaho Reports” program on Idaho Public Television, I join Jim Weatherby, Emilie Ritter Saunders, Aaron Kunz and host Greg Hahn to discuss the week’s developments in the Legislature. Plus, Greg reports on efforts to head off Idaho’s looming doctor shortage; interviews House and…
At the first meeting today of the governor’s 31-member education stakeholders task force, members spent some time hearing about the fiscal impact on the current year’s budget of the failure of Propositions 1, 2, and 3, and the ongoing programs in school districts for which…
Gov. Butch Otter today named Rich Jackson chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission, replacing David Langhorst, who will continue to serve on the commission. Langhorst is a Democrat; Jackson a Republican. “David has done a great job of calming the waters, restoring public trust…
As Idaho lawmakers head back to their districts for the weekend, some face perilous driving conditions across the state, bad enough that a few are deciding to spend the weekend in Boise. Meanwhile, enough snow has fallen around the state Capitol to allow construction of…
Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise, has launched his weekly prayer group for senators, which will start meeting Tuesday at 7 a.m. in the majority caucus room. “It’s a time to encourage one another,” said Winder, who’s had the weekly prayer meetings since he…
Gov. Butch Otter’s education stakeholders’ group has its first meeting today, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Yanke Family Research Park at 220 E. Parkcenter Blvd. The group has 31 members and is chaired by state Board of Education member Richard Westerburg.…
Now here's some news: Bogus Basin has announced that having received more than 9 inches of snow over the last few days, it now has enough to open the No. 3 Superior chair for night skiing. That high-speed chairlift, on the back side of the…
Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little felt at home at the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee when he came to present his budget this morning. “I started here in 1976,” he told the committee. “I interned in this committee in college in 1976.” He later went on to…
State Controller Brandon Woolf is presenting his budget request to JFAC this morning, and he highlighted the “Transparent Idaho” government transparency site that he and Gov. Butch Otter unveiled yesterday. “Historically, the greatest impediment to building a transparency site was the cost,” Woolf said in…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted unanimously this morning to accept the report of the Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee, which adopted Gov. Butch Otter’s revenue forecast of $2.7991 billion for fiscal year 2014, a 5.3 percent increase. The committee report says the figure “is…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A pre-trial hearing on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of fees public schools charge for sports and other activities has been reset. On Thursday, 4th District Judge Lynn Norton scheduled a hearing for…
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today’s launch of an Idaho government transparency website, unveiled by Gov. Butch Otter and state Controller Brandon Woolf. “We’ve always provided our public information whenever it’s requested, but this allows the citizens to quickly get…
This year’s Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee process had a much different dynamic than recent years, in which lawmakers have sharply undercut the governor’s economic forecast, forcing much larger budget cuts. Instead, this year brought an extension by legislative leaders of an olive branch…
The motion to adopt the governor’s revenue forecast – made by Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill and seconded by House Speaker Scott Bedke – has been approved on a 14-4 vote. The only “no” votes came from Sens. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene; Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa;…
“What my forecast reflects is a recovering economy,” Gov. Butch Otter’s economist, Derek Santos, told lawmakers on the joint revenue committee. “Gradually speeding up – now nothing extraordinary, but growth nonetheless, and acceleration nonetheless.” After a series of questions, Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, moved to…