The Idaho Department of Health & Welfare has chosen a new contractor for non-emergency transportation of Medicaid patients, to take over for Veyo in March. The new contractor will be Medical Transportation Management Inc., known as MTM; the St. Louis, Mo.-based firm operates in 28…
Federal officials gave the Idaho National Laboratory positive ratings and determined it earned 97 percent of the total available fee in a recent performance evaluation. The Post Register reports the U.S. Department of Energy determined the overall earned fee for the facility in Idaho Falls to be more than $15 million for the 2017 fiscal year...
More than 100 Idaho business leaders, ranging from high-tech CEOs to small-business owners to engineers, marketers and manufacturers, have signed a letter to Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Legislature calling for the repeal of a 2016 non-compete law that sharply limits the rights of…
The House Natural Resources Committee today approved legislation from Idaho 1st District GOP Rep. Raul Labrador to ease regulation on development of new geothermal energy resources. The bill, H.R. 4568, passed on a bipartisan voice vote; an earlier version of the bill passed the House…
Politifact conducted a poll of its readers on the “2017 Lie of the Year,” and while President Donald Trump calling “the Russia thing” a “made-up story” took first place, it was Idaho’s own 1st District Rep. Raul Labrador who came in second, for saying, “Nobody…
All Idaho state lawmakers will attend mandatory “respectful workplace training” on the second day of this year’s legislative session. House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill also are asking all legislative staffers to attend, and are strongly encouraging lobbyists and members of...
The student governing councils of the University of Idaho’s fraternities and sororities have self-imposed a moratorium on all alcohol-related activities, in response to hazing and alcohol-related incidents across the nation over the past year. Sammy Crofoot, Intrafraternity Council president, said, “We decided to come together…
An Idaho lawmaker was the subject of a complaint for allegedly making inappropriate comments to at least two people during the 2017 legislative session, according to a heavily redacted document obtained by The Associated Press through a records request on Tuesday. The complaint says that Rep. James Holtzclaw, R-Meridian, 42, made a woman feel...
The presidents of every public college and university in Idaho have signed a letter to Idaho’s congressional delegation expressing strong opposition to several major provisions of the pending federal tax bill, which they say “would have damaging consequences for Idaho public colleges and universities and…
Idaho officials say the federal tax reform bill currently being finalized in Congress likely will have a huge impact on state revenue collections, but they aren't sure yet whether the effect will be positive or negative, the Lewiston Tribune reports. Estimates from various state agencies suggest the tax reform effort could...
Idaho has committed more than $100 million since 2013 to turn high school graduates into college students, writes Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News. Now, thousands of high school students can earn free college credits. High schools can hire college and career counselors to work…
A former Idaho lawmaker who resigned amid a sexual abuse investigation has now been arrested for driving under the influence and resisting arrest. Meridian police Sgt. Brandon Frasier said 36-year-old Brandon Hixon initially refused to comply with the officer's orders when he was pulled over...
Idaho’s latest plan to address the state’s health coverage gap will be addressed in two public sessions in Coeur d’Alene Monday and Tuesday; sessions in Boise and Pocatello on the Idaho Health Care Plan have drawn overflow crowds. The proposal calls for the state to seek waivers from the federal government to allow a portion of those now fall in...
When Idaho GOP Rep. Raul Labrador, speaking via video, was asked to address tax policy as a candidate for governor last week at the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho annual conference, he said Idaho’s government “needs to be slashed.”
“My tax plan, just to be clear, it’s going to take some years,” Labrador said, after touting his “5-5-5” plan...
Tax policy moves front and center on tonight’s “Idaho Reports” on Idaho Public Television, closing out a week in which the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho annual conference drew a record 500 attendees, from legislators and lobbyists to state and local government officials, current, former and…
As many as 1,000 Idaho inmates could soon be serving out their time in out-of-state prisons as the state grapples with overcrowding at home. The inmates could end up in a private prison facility – despite Idaho's long history of trouble when it comes to getting some private prison providers to meet the terms of their contracts...
The young woman who yesterday settled her sexual and racial harassment claim against the Idaho state controller’s office spoke out today, saying she’s pleased with the settlement and hopes her story helps others who face workplace harassment. “There is definitely an opportunity for employers to…
A.J. Balukoff, the Democrat already in the race for governor of Idaho in 2018 before Rep. Paulette Jordan’s announcement tonight in Moscow, has issued a statement welcoming her to the race. Here it is: Idaho gubernatorial candidate A.J. Balukoff applauded tonight’s announcement from Paulette Jordan…
The only Native American lawmaker currently serving in the Idaho Statehouse says she's running for governor in 2018. Rep. Paulette Jordan, a Democrat from Plummer and member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, announced Thursday she would run for governor rather than seek a third term as a state representative. Jordan's announcement...
Idaho’s state tax revenues rebounded in November, coming in $10.8 million ahead of forecasts – and more than making up October’s $8 million shortfall. According to the state Division of Financial Management, the November general fund receipts were 4.4 percent ahead of forecast and 14.2…
The new Marilyn Shuler Human Rights Initiative at Boise State University will be a university-wide program to help educate the next generation of young people about human rights, BSU history Professor Jill Gill told the Boise City Club today. “That’s what’s different about this thing,”…
Although it’s not yet opening for downhill skiing, Bogus Basin announced today that it’ll open its tubing hill this weekend, along with cross-country skiing and its Nordic lodge and a non-lift-served, hiking-only terrain park near the base of the No. 1 Deer Point chairlift. “We’re…
The Idaho Democratic Party’s staff has voted to unionize, authorizing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 291 (IBEW) as the collective bargaining representative for four of its six employees. The only staffers who won’t be in the new bargaining unit are the executive director…
The Idaho State Controller's Office has agreed to settle with a former employee who said she was sexually and racially harassed by a supervisor while State Controller Brandon Woolf allowed the harassment to continue. Former employee Lourdes Matsumoto's attorney announced Thursday the settlement includes a cash payment...
Five properties Idaho officials offered at an auction sold for above appraised value, but five others didn't receive any bids. The auction Wednesday by the Idaho Department of Lands brought in nearly $8.5 million, about $1.6 million above the appraised value. An office building in Idaho Falls brought in the most...