The House has recessed until 3 p.m. to allow time for a public hearing on HB 67a, the bill that previously was an income tax cut bill, but now would remove Idaho’s 6 percent sales tax from groceries. “HB 67 left the House as an income tax reduction, and came back with the sales tax off of groceries” said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star. “The concept of taking the sales tax off of groceries has not had a hearing this year. … So the chairman is going to allow some public testimony on that at 1:30 when that committee starts.”

That’s why the House isn’t scheduled to reconvene from its lunch break until 3, he said. House Speaker Scott Bedke added, “If they’re still going great guns, then we need to be flexible up here,” and allow the hearing more time.