The Twin Falls Times-News reports that a fight may be brewing over the startup of the Idaho Education Network, a $50 million statewide broadband network to serve local schools. Lawmakers unanimously approved the concept last year, but haven't yet approved funding, but state Department of…
House Transportation Committee members are still weighing the findings of the big performance audit of the Idaho Transportation Department, and how to respond to them. "If we all agree that ITD needs more money, there's no way we can put off doing that," Rep. Scott…
There's a near-capacity crowd at the somber hearing this afternoon in the House Health & Welfare Committee, even though the most controversial of the rule changes being considered there already has won approval from the Senate Health & Welfare Committee; rules stand unless they're rejected…
Here's a sign of the times: Legislation that makes a one-word change in the law regarding annual adjustments in the homeowner's exemption from property tax won unanimous approval in the House today. The reason for the change? As House Tax Chairman Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, explained…
Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum, announced today that he won't be able to return before the end of the legislative session this year. Stennett, who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer, said it was "very disheartening to not participate this session." Though his prognosis…
Of the 41 undergraduate and graduate degree programs that the University of Idaho is proposing eliminating, few are popular, acting UI President Steven Daley-Laursen told JFAC this morning. "We have only 55 applications now on the table for entrance of new students," between the 41…
Milford Terrell, president of the state Board of Education, told legislative budget writers this morning, "We all are quite well aware of the economic times in which we live. I don’t need to remind you folks here in this committee of how difficult it is…
Here's a link to the latest episode of Idaho Reports, and also to the "after the show" online discussion in which I join Lt. Gov. Brad Little, BSU political scientist emeritus Jim Weatherby, AP reporter John Miller and host Thanh Tan to discuss the goings-on…
Kelly Buckland, executive director of the Idaho State Independent Living Council, has become a well-known presence in the Statehouse for the past 14 years, lobbying for the rights of individuals with disabilities. But this is his last legislative session - in May, he'll start a…
HCR 6, the measure to reject a scheduled 5 percent salary hike for state lawmakers zoomed through the House, where members suspended rules yesterday and passed it on a unanimous, 66-0 vote. But when the Senate majority caucus discussed it yesterday, according to caucus Chair…
Already, two bills introduced this session have been assigned to the Ways & Means Committee in the House, a panel controlled by leadership that rarely meets, and hasn't met yet. The bills, HB 2 and HB 17, are both personal bills. HB 2 was introduced…
When Kelly Buckland, executive director of the State Independent Living Council, gave his budget presentation to lawmakers this morning, he noted a distinction for Idaho: It's amended its child custody laws to ban discrimination against parents with disabilities. "We are, in fact, the only state…
Among the one-time funds that JFAC cut from the current year's budget yesterday, saving $20 million that could help cushion against school budget cuts next year, was $100,000 from the Office of Performance Evaluations, which represents the savings on this year's transportation audit. Lawmakers had…
Joseph Duncan, the notorious serial killer and child molester whose attack on a Coeur d'Alene family shocked the state, has been extradited to California, where he faces another possible death sentence for the 1997 kidnap and murder of 10-year-old Anthony Martinez. Earlier, Duncan received three…
Here's a link to my full story on the grilling state tax commissioners took from a Senate committee today over a lack of progress on reforms, following a whistleblower's charges that they were cutting secret tax deals with large, multistate corporations. And here's a link…
The Dalai Lama won't be visiting Idaho for the kickoff of the Special Olympics World Winter Games in February - and his aides say it's because the Chinese government pressured organizers to disinvite him. Click below to read the full story from AP reporter John…
Senators on the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee grilled state tax commissioners this afternoon for failing, five months later, to comply with any of the recommendations in a state-ordered investigation that followed a whistleblower's report. The report, from a longtime state auditor, charged that…
Gov. Butch Otter is "very happy" with the Idaho Transportation Board's decision today to rethink its priority list for economic stimulus projects and include the Dover Bridge and Vista Interchange after all, said Otter's press secretary, Jon Hanian. "We're very happy with the decisions they…
The fight over how to do naturopath licensing in Idaho has gotten so bitter that the entire licensing law could get repealed. The AP reports that Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, has found "total disagreement" between two camps among naturopaths; click below to read the full…
Senate Republicans held a caucus today and spent much of it going over the budget cuts. New Senate GOP Caucus Chair Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, said GOP senators talked about some way to avoid Otter's proposed cut in public school funding next year, and, "Quite frankly,…
This morning, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee made a new round of budget cuts, and it was clear they didn't enjoy it. When Gov. Butch Otter imposed his 4 percent holdbacks, he also trimmed $17.4 million in one-time funds above and beyond the 4 percent. Today,…
Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, had this reaction to the Idaho Transportation Board's vote this morning to expand its list of projects for economic stimulus funding: "I am thankful that the ITD board reconsidered, and I am very appreciative of the governor's support. Dover Bridge first…
Jim Coleman, the Idaho Transportation Board member from North Idaho, said one big uncertainty is that Idaho still doesn't know what the rules will be for spending federal economic stimulus funds on highway projects. "They may say that if you've got X dollars going on…
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis couldn't resist needling Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, after the news today that a package addressed to him - and apparently containing hair-care products - triggered a bomb scare yesterday that temporarily shut down the state mail room and the parking…
The Idaho Transportation Board, meeting this morning in Boise, has voted 4-1 to put the Dover Bridge and the I-84 Vista Interchange back on its list of "shovel-ready" projects ready to receive federal economic stimulus funds. Two weeks ago, the board had crossed those two…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
