House supports driver’s license bill
Legislation designed to deny driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants passed the Idaho House on a 47-21 vote Monday, despite concerns that the bill is flawed and actually could deny licenses to legal foreign workers.
Opponents said HB 366 would deny driver’s licenses to an array of people legally in the country to work under various visa programs, including those employed by high-tech firms, and to those awaiting word on asylum applications.
“I think this is a good bill,” said Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian. “It’s not a perfect bill, but I’d rather pass a good bill than not pass any bill at all.”
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said the measure would “increase the security of our state.”
The bill now moves to the Senate.
Nonini wants law on abortion coercion
Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, proposed legislation Monday designed to make it a crime to “coerce or attempt to coerce a woman to have an abortion.”
Nonini got similar legislation introduced last year, but it was pulled back for legal problems. Now, he said, “It’s tightened up.”
Questioned by members of the House Health & Welfare Committee as to whether this has been a problem in Idaho, Nonini said it’s been a problem nationally.
After the committee agreed to introduce the measure, Nonini said, “If one young lady was coerced into having an abortion, then it’s a massive problem, in my opinion.” He said he’d like to stop all abortions, but short of that, he wants to do “anything we can do to make sure a woman’s right to keep a baby is protected.”
Budget director lists priorities
Quizzed by senators at his confirmation hearing Monday, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s budget director said the governor has three funding priorities, even if a recession causes some of his other budget proposals to be trimmed back.
Wayne Hammon said Otter is “insisting” on keeping three items he called for funding in his budget: 5 percent average merit raises for state employees, along with benefit changes; funding for expanding a state scholarship program; and $20 million for aquifer modeling.
The raises would cost the state budget about $78 million a year; lawmakers are discussing trimming the amount. Idaho state employee pay lags 15 percent behind market rates.