... Thanks to help from North Idaho lawmakers.

"The House Transportation Committee split right down the middle after a three-hour hearing – killing legislation designed to impose state gas tax on Indian reservations. Every North Idaho member of the committee voted against the bill – Reps. Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Prichard; Mike Mitchell, D-Lewiston; Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow; Phil Hart, R-Athol; and Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene. They were joined by Reps. Joe Cannon, R-Blackfoot, and Kathy Skippen, R-Emmett. That meant a substitute motion from Skippen to kill the bill died on a tied vote, and then the original motion from Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, to pass the bill also died on a tied vote. That means the bill fails – it doesn’t leave the committee."

For the rest of the post by Betsy Russell/Eye On Boise, click here and for all her latest coverage of the Idaho Legislature, including news of House Speaker Bruce Newcomb deciding to retire, click here.

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