2011 Idaho Legislature, Week 10

The 10th week of the 2011 Idaho legislative session in pictures

Section:Gallery

Fri., March 18, 2011

Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa answers questions from Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, about the state Land Board's legislation to repeal an unconstitutional law protecting state cottage site leases from conflict auctions at the end of their term; a Senate committee on Monday unanimously endorsed the bill and sent it to the full Senate.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, presents the legislation to suspend next year's scheduled $10 bump-up in Idaho's grocery tax credit, to save $15 million for the state budget; the House Rev & Tax Committee approved the move and sent it directly to the full House for debate.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, talks Tuesday about his bill to limit future specialty license plates to a "government good," not just any charity or good cause. Hammond is the new Senate transportation chairman; he said new House Transportation Chairman Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, is co-sponsoring the bill.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee takes up two bills to limit urban renewal on Tuesday; Scott Turlington, lobbyist for the Meridian urban renewal district, opened by presenting HB 95.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Members of the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee, including Sen. Brent Hill, right, listen to testimony Tuesday on two bills seeking to rein in urban renewal agencies in Idaho by adding requirements ranging from elections to public hearings.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Sen. Chuck Winder presents his abortion legislation to the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday morning; it would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy on grounds of fetal pain.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Teresa Collett, law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, tells the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday that there's no guarantee SB 1165 is constitutional, but she believes there's a "substantial basis" to argue that it is.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Senate State Affairs Committee members question proponents of SB 1165, legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks gestation on grounds of fetal pain.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
The Idaho House debates HB 222, the guns-on-campus bill on Wednesday.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, argues on Thursday morning for extending the tax rebate for renewable energy development, which otherwise is scheduled to expire on June 30; he's presenting HB 250 to the House Revenue & Taxation Committee.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, gives his recommendation to JFAC on public school funding; essentially, he had no recommendation, as his committee couldn't reach consensus on how to deal with cuts.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Friday debates a Medicaid budget that reflects $34.5 million in cuts already approved by the House; the budget bill it passed the joint budget on a 15-4 party-line vote.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, center, argues Friday for adding back in $2.2 million in funding for mental health services for patients who otherwise would be a danger to themselves or others; her move failed on a party-line vote.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review