After a tense three-hour hearing, the House State Affairs Committee has approved controversial anti-abortion legislation on a straight party-line vote, 13-4, with only the committee’s four Democrats objecting. David Ripley of Idaho Chooses Life, author of HB 154, said, “This is a mechanism for women…
The House was scheduled to convene at 11 today, but 20 minutes later, the House State Affairs Committee still is in the midst of testimony on HB 154, the bill from David Ripley of Idaho Chooses Life to add new restrictions on medication-induced abortions in…
The Senate has voted unanimously, 33-0, in favor of HB 168, the stopgap funding bill for school broadband services in the wake of the Idaho Education Network debacle. The bill, which previously passed the House with just one “no” vote, now goes to Gov. Butch…
A divided legislative budget committee has voted 12-8 this morning to approve the final payment to renovate the old Ada County Courthouse across from the Capitol into the Idaho Law & Justice Learning Center, which will house the state law library, University of Idaho law…
In a complicated series of motions in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning, the Idaho Department of Correction, while coming in for several supplemental appropriations to add funding for the current year, ended up with less money that it had before. That’s because the increased…
Two supplemental appropriations regarding the Your Health Idaho exchange cleared JFAC this morning on identical 15-5 votes, with Sens. Sheryl Nuxoll, Dean Mortimer and Steven Thayn and Reps. Jason Monks and Van Burtenshaw objecting. The measures provide spending authority for money coming from the 1.5…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is handling supplemental appropriations, budget requests for adjustments in the current budget year, this morning, as it prepares to begin setting agency budgets for next year tomorrow. Among the supplemental requests was one from the Idaho Military Division for inauguration expenses.…
Total highway spending in Idaho has dropped nearly 20 percent in recent years, the AP reports, with an 8 percent decline in federal funds a major factor. The state received $321 million in federal road funding in 2010. By 2013, that number had fallen to…
As the demise of the Idaho Education Network amid legal and financial problems dominates legislative discussion – the Senate is set to approve a stopgap funding bill this morning, already approved by the House, to grant emergency funding for broadband service to local school districts…
Over the weekend, the Idaho Statesman took a look at Idaho’s justice reinvestment project, which is aimed at transforming the state’s criminal justice system to reserve prison cell space for the most dangerous offenders, while working to reduce the state’s “revolving door” of recidivism, in…
On tonight’s “Idaho Reports,” I join Jim Weatherby, Bill Dentzer, and co-hosts Aaron Kunz and Melissa Davlin to discuss the events of the sixth week of the legislative session, from taxes to budgets to former Gov. Phil Batt’s ground-breaking speech to Canyon County Republicans. Also,...
Legislation from House Majority Leader Mike Moyle would shift half of the roughly $20 million a year in property taxes from new construction that’s now collected by counties, cities, local highway districts and others to local school districts for bond repayment and addressing building safety…
Rep. Janet Trujillo, R-Idaho Falls, and Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, have introduced legislation to disqualify from the state’s medical indigency/catastrophic care program anyone who earns over 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The reason: They now qualify to buy subsidized health insurance through Idaho’s…
The Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy has released a new analysis of the omnibus tax proposal that’s been debated in the back rooms of the Legislature this year, to raise the sales tax while eliminating it from groceries and dedicated increased funds to transportation, and…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho House panel sided with the concerns of family advocate supporters by approving legislation expanding parental rights in state law. The House State Affairs Committee voted 13-3 Friday, objecting to the multiple…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Reports from a state investigator and three staffers at an Idaho prison suggest that inmates' medical records may have been intentionally changed or destroyed in violation of a federal court order. The report…
A House committee this morning agreed to introduce legislation from House Majority Caucus Chairman John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, to require parental consent for people age 14-17 to use artificial tanning beds, and ban their use for those age 13 and under. That matches current state laws on tattoos and piercing, Vander Woude said...
Idaho currently holds a copyright on the Idaho Code – the laws of the state, Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, told the House Health & Welfare Committee this morning. “If ignorance of the law is no defense, people ought to have unfettered access to...
This morning’s public hearing on the state budget has wrapped up after just half an hour; seven people offered testimony. “We thank you, for those of you who came, and we thank you for those who are listening at home,” said JFAC Co-Chair Dean Cameron,…
Among those testifying at the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee’s public hearing this morning on state budget issues: Penni Cyr, president of the Idaho Association, said, “Idaho must take significant action in order to be able to attract and retain high-quality teachers.” She said the state needs...
There's a light turnout so far for this morning's JFAC public hearing in the Lincoln Auditorium, at which anyone who wants to may offer testimony on issues related to the state budget. It starts in just a few minutes, and so far only four people…
Legislation proposed by the state Board of Education to extend a popular tax credit for donations to schools has been hung up in a House committee for more than six weeks as a freshman North Idaho lawmaker pushes for amendments...
An analysis of Gov. Butch Otter’s proposed budget for next year by the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy concluded that when ongoing state expenses are taken into account, from firefighting bills already incurred to the out-year impacts of Otter’s proposed phased-in cut in state income…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A bill seeking to expand parental rights in Idaho has sparked concerns from attorneys who say its implementation could spark a new slew of lawsuits. Family advocates who support the measure, HB 113,…
After much debate, the House has voted 43-26 in favor of HB 95, the bill from Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, to exempt materials used in public roads from the sales tax. There was bipartisan opposition to the move; the bill now moves to the Senate…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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