While praising the JFAC co-chairs for bringing in education stakeholders to work on the public school budget, Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, said, "I'm sure that those stakeholders you invited in were very happy to have the opportunity to have their input considered. Should this be…
In anticipation of the budget-setting for public schools on Monday, JFAC members have been given a breakout of the blueprint that a group of JFAC members and education stakeholders have arrived at after hours of meetings. The handout includes several items that Senate Finance Chairman…
This morning, while setting budgets for several smaller agencies for next year, JFAC got to the first of the seven agencies for which Gov. Butch Otter had proposed phasing out all state funding over the next four years, in this case, the Commission on Hispanic…
The budget set this morning for the Idaho Historical Society shows an 11.7 percent cut in state general funds, but just a 0.1 percent cut in overall funding. The reason: "They've started doing their own fundraising, and they're really doing a good job," said Rep.…
Unanimous votes have set the budgets so far this morning for the Department of Fish & Game, the Office of Species Conservation, and the Soil Conservation Commission. Fish & Game, which gets no state general funds, saw an overall 2 percent budget increase; the agency…
Several JFAC members huddled after their meeting yesterday, and now the move to cut off deficiency warrants as a means to fund the invasive species program in the coming year is off the table. "We did come to a meeting of the minds," said Rep.…
Gov. Butch Otter made an unprecedented visit to the state Capitol's fourth floor today to huddle behind closed doors with the House GOP caucus over the recent House-Senate clash over a 1 percent cost-of-living increase for state retirees; House Republicans pushed through a measure to…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the bill introduced today to ban purchases of additional retirement service for state employees to get them to retire early - a practice that resulted in $125,000 in such state expenditures in 2009, including $72,781…
A new informal Idaho Attorney General's opinion, issued today in response to a request from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, says there are no constitutional problems with HB 500, the cooperative law enforcement legislation proposed by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. "It's perfectly…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the budget blueprint that the JFAC co-chairs laid out for the joint committee and the public today, and here's a link to the numbers - the five pages of figures that legislative budget director Cathy…
The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee was unanimous this afternoon, agreeing to send the full Senate SB 1381, the bill from Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, to require the Legislature to review all sales tax exemptions at least every five years, and put a five-year…
A new private non-profit group called "Friends of Idaho Parks & Recreation" has formed to fight budget cuts to parks, work to increase volunteerism in state parks and generate long-term funding. The group's formation was announced at today's Parks Board meeting, at which the board…
There wasn't time in the hour-and-a-half committee hearing to get to everyone who wanted to testify, but the Senate Transportation Committee has voted unanimously to send SB 1352, the bill to ban texting while driving, to the Senate's 14th Order for amendments. Sponsor John McGee,…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Adults caught in a car without their seatbelts on in Idaho could see their costs rise five-fold. Rep. Rich Wills, a Glenns Ferry Republican, introduced a bill Thursday to add court costs of…
High school students are among those testifying this afternoon in favor of SB 1352, legislation to ban texting while driving, and all testimony so far is in favor. Senate Transportation Chairman John McGee, R-Caldwell, lead sponsor of the bill, thanked Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, for…
Jan Vassar has been unanimously confirmed by the Idaho Senate for a full six-year term on the Idaho Transportation Board, after earlier being appointed to serve for just six weeks to complete the term of the late Bruce Sweeney. Vassar, former Lewiston city manager, administrative…
The Idaho Senate just heard that there's only one place in state law where it's a crime for a prosecutor or a law enforcement officer not to go after a crime that they know about - when they don't "diligently prosecute and investigate any act…
The Senate has agreed unanimously to put off its debate on HB 391a, the "Idaho Health Freedom Act," for a day. "With the consent of the sponsor and other individuals," Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis told the Senate, a delay is sought "as everybody gathers…
Here's a link to my full story from November on the payment of more than $125,000 in retirement boosts in six months to three employees at three different state agencies in exchange for their earlier-than-planned retirements; at the time, the move prompted comments from top…
JFAC is now going over the entire plan that its co-chairs, staff and others have been working on for weeks to make the fiscal year 2011 budget balance and all its pieces fit together, from shifts of reserve funds, to tapping benefit reserves to fund…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted unanimously to introduce legislation to ban purchases of additional retirement service for state employees to get them to retire early - a practice that resulted in $125,000 in such state expenditures in 2009, including $72,781 for a single…
JFAC this morning came very close to passing a new restriction on the state Department of Agriculture to stop it from issuing unlimited deficiency warrants to fund the invasive species program, which is seeking to avoid the introduction of quagga and zebra mussels into Idaho…
Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Keith Roark says the state's conflict of interest laws need strengthening, citing yesterday's vote-change that killed a tobacco bill, by a senator whose husband is a tobacco lobbyist. The senator, Melinda Smyser, said her vote had nothing to do with her…
After a long hearing this afternoon, the House Environment Committee has voted 6-5 to kill HB 591, a proposal from Rep. Steve Kren, R-Nampa, that opponents said would "gut" the legislation passed two years ago to address the Treasure Valley's air quality. Rep. Eric Anderson,…
Idaho spent $7 million to house offenders in prison from Jan. 1, 2007 to Sept. 14, 2009 who actually could have been out on parole, according to a new report from the Legislature's Office of Performance Evaluations, which found that delays - some linked to…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
