The House has voted unanimously, 69-0, in favor of HB 630, the bill co-sponsored by Gov. Butch Otter, Senate Tax Chairman Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, and House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star. "This is a good bill," Moyle told the House. House Minority Leader John Rusche,…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Quit talking about repealing tax exemptions. Bring a bill. That's the message Rep. Dennis Lake, the House Revenue and Taxation Committee chairman, is sending to the Senate. Lake said he will shelve a…
Gov. Butch Otter went on-air last night to help boost fundraising for Idaho Public Television, saying viewers need to give any amount they can - even if it's just a dollar - to help keep the educational network on the air in this time of…
After two days of emotional testimony overwhelmingly opposed to the bill, the House State Affairs Committee has voted along straight party lines to pass SB 1353, Sen. Chuck Winder's "conscience" bill to permit any licensed health care provider to refuse, on conscience grounds, to provide…
Because of constitutional requirements, while many state employees are facing furloughs and layoffs, the state's top elected officials all have gotten raises; their pay has jumped 8.5 percent since 2007. Some have donated the raises and objected, but lawmakers are barred from changing constitutional officers'…
A series of emails between Gov. Butch Otter's budget chief and lawmakers has prompted even more consternation in the midst of a big flap over the Idaho Education Network, the pricey high-tech network linking Idaho schools that's already brought the state a lawsuit and a…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — President Obama has nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho. The White House announced Olson's nomination Wednesday evening, saying she would be resolute in the…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A Senate committee has advanced a bill that would ease statutory rape laws for adolescent males accused of having sex with girls younger than 18 years old. The bill approved Wednesday by the…
Two lawmakers from the same North Idaho district - Sen. Mike Jorgenson and Rep. Jim Clark, both Hayden Lake Republicans - are at opposite ends of a legislative battle over Internet sales taxes, which Idahoans already are required by law to pay, but almost no…
The special hearing convened today by Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, on questions surrounding the Idaho Education Network wrapped up by 1:30 (Mountain time, that is) when virtually all of the legislators listening had to scurry off to other committee meetings. The hearing…
Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, has convened a meeting in the state Capitol's largest auditorium on the Idaho Education Network and questions that have been raised about its costs - including charges by local Internet providers around the state that they could provide…
The Senate majority caucus has headed behind closed doors. The topic: Budgets. Caucus Chair Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, said he expected the session to wrap up by noon.
During the debate on the texting-while-driving bill, at least six cell phones were delivered to Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, sponsor of the bill, after he offered during the debate to make adjustments to another senator's phone. When one of the stack of phones on his…
After a half-hour's debate, the Senate has voted 29-5 in favor of SB 1352, to add a clause to Idaho's inattentive driving law banning texting while driving. "It's uniquely dangerous," said Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, the Senate transportation chairman. He answered numerous questions from other…
The House State Affairs Committee has run out of time in its extended hearing on the "conscience" bill on abortion, emergency contraception and end-of-life care, and has put the matter off to tomorrow. Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said it'll be the first item on the…
The House State Affairs Committee is still going this morning in its hearing on SB 1353, the Senate-passed "conscience" bill to permit any licensed health care provider to refuse, on conscience grounds, to provide any treatment or medication related to abortion, emergency contraception or end-of-life…
The Idaho State Journal reports today that Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, the House Assistant Minority Leader, won't seek re-election. He told the paper he wants to spend more time with his family and on his law practice, and that former Pocatello Mayor Greg Anderson plans…
The House Rev & Tax Committee has voted 10-8 to introduce new legislation sponsored by Reps. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, and Bill Killen, D-Boise, to have Idaho participate with 23 other states in discussions in the streamlined sales tax project, aimed at preparing states to…
All three public indebtedness constitutional amendments - HJR 4, 5 and 7 - have cleared the Senate State Affairs Committee on overwhelming votes and headed to the Senate for possible final passage.
Members of the Senate State Affairs Committee had lots of questions for Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane this morning, as they consider three constitutional amendments allowing public hospitals, airports, and municipal electric systems to incur debt without a vote. The three amendments, HJR 4, HJR…
Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, had a bill-introduction on the JFAC agenda this morning, to create a "secondary aquifer planning and management fund." Bair said as part of the CAMP, or Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan, process, the Idaho attorney general recommended creating a separate fund to…
Substitute Sen. Darrell Kerby, R-Bonners Ferry, actually made a budget motion during budget-setting in JFAC this morning, in his third day on the job filling in for Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint. That means he proposed a budget for a state agency - and it passed.…
In the latest candidate-filing news, Republican Michael Chadwick of Post Falls has filed for the 1st District congressional seat, and Republican Chick Heileson of Idaho Falls has filed for the 2nd District seat. The filing period for all state offices, including every seat in the…
Here's a link to my full story on the budget that lawmakers set today for Idaho Public Television, a budget that Gov. Butch Otter, who earlier called for phasing out all state funding for IPTV, said today he supports. Otter also agreed to appear on…
The Idaho AARP has released a statement saying the Idaho Senate "fail(ed) Idahoans struggling with high health care costs" by passing HB 391a, the "Idaho Health Freedom Act," which now is headed for the governor's desk. "Idahoans buckling under soaring health care costs didn’t get…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
