Five of Idaho’s universities and community colleges have spent more than $1.5 million to beef up campus security because of the concealed-weapons-on-campus law approved last year, the Idaho Statesman reports, and the schools expect total costs to top $3.7 million for the year. They sought…
Idaho will receive $21.5 million in a legal settlement with Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden announced today, over allegations the credit rating company engaged in false, deceptive and misleading practices from 2001 to 2011, including actions leading up to the…
Orofino could become the first school district in the state with its own specialty license plate, writes reporter Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune, after Rep. Paul Shepherd, R-Riggins, introduced legislation Monday to create a special plate to benefit the “Friends of the Orofino Maniacs.”…
Idaho Fish & Game Director Virgil Moore had some good news from his department for lawmakers today: “It was a really good fall for hunting,” with mild winters leading to high winter survivals for fawns, leading to hunters seeing more game. Also, he said, “Another…
Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, says as acting chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he’s decided not to grant a hearing to SB 1005, the bill from the state Department of Correction to add additional secrecy around state execution procedures. “I talked to a number of...
Two of the three state lawmakers whose district includes the Greyhound Park Event Center in Post Falls said Monday they were surprised and disappointed that the Coeur d’Alene Tribe had canceled its big annual Julyamsh Pow Wow there this summer, amid a dispute over “instant…
Blue Cross of Idaho has hired Mike Reynoldson, government affairs manager for Micron Technology for the past 10 years, as its new director of governmental affairs. Reynoldson will oversee legislative and regulatory issues and act as a liaison to state and federal health entities for…
After a 75-minute closed-door caucus, House Republicans emerged talking transportation funding this afternoon. “We started throwing out transportation funding options,” said House Majority Caucus Chairman John Vander Woude, R-Nampa. “What’s it going to look like?” That included questions about whether a package might include a…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — An eastern Idaho family has launched an online fundraising effort to help cover the estimated $1,200 cost to access public records about the Idaho State University president's residence. Rhonda and Eric D'Amico and…
On a 12-3 party-line vote, with Democrats dissenting and Republicans voting in favor, the House State Affairs Committee today introduced legislation laying groundwork for Idaho to participate in an Article V constitutional convention aimed at considering a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The…
Idaho schools get more than 63 cents of every education dollar from the state Legislature, one of the highest percentages in the nation, Idaho Education News reports. A new federal study, based on 2011-12 numbers, shows that only three states rely more heavily on state…
Idaho’s state parks system is looking for corporate sponsors for signs, brochures, group picnic shelters and the like, as part of its effort to make the parks system largely pay for itself, state Parks Director David Langhorst told lawmakers this morning. “We would hope to...
Legislation from the state Tax Commission that would have saved the state $25,000 by requiring paid tax preparers and large companies to file state tax returns electronically has been defeated in the House on a 25-44 vote. Among those arguing against the bill was freshman...
Eighteen of Idaho’s district and appellate judges have retired since 2009, and another 34 – 63 percent – are eligible to retire in the next five years, Chief Justice Roger Burdick told lawmakers today in his annual “State of the Judiciary” message to the House...
Idaho has received 84 applications so far from throughout the nation to replace former state courts Administrative Director Patti Tobias, who left this fall to take a position with the National Center for State Courts, Chief Justice Roger Burdick told lawmakers today in his annual…
The Idaho Department of Lands received 683 public records requests in 2014, department Director Tom Schultz told lawmakers today. Of those, 42 percent drew responses within one business day. The average response time was less than three business days, which is within the Idaho Public…
As Idaho Department of Lands Director Tom Schultz presents his budget request to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning, one item he’s requesting – an additional forest stewardship position in the department’s Coeur d’Alene office – could relate to the Legislature’s ongoing push to take…
Senators quizzed two Idaho Human Rights Commission members this morning who are up for reappointment, Sheila Olsen and Ruthie Johnson. Neither was asked about the question of expanding the jurisdiction of the commission to include discrimination cases involving sexual orientation and gender identity, as proposed…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Department of Lands has auctioned off 32 more lots at Payette Lake in northern Idaho as it continues its plan to divest itself of the lucrative but difficult-to-manage assets. The agency…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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