As Idaho's legislative session dragged through its 81st day Thursday, legislative reporters have donned the traditional ugly ties that signify it's been long enough. Tradition has it that once reporters have decided it's time for the session to end, by sporting hideous neckwear they can…
Gov. Butch Otter sent a memo to all state employees today declaring that he doesn't support across-the-board pay cuts, and instead believes "managers should be allowed to manage" to determine how personnel funding cuts should affect their individual agencies. Click below to read the governor's…
The day-care licensing bill has cleared the House Health & Welfare Committee on a unanimous vote, but only with extensive amendments attached - including requiring licensing only for day cares with seven or more unrelated children, while still requiring criminal background checks for those with…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney has gotten legislation introduced on a 4-3 party-line vote in the House Ways & Means Committee to require a photo I.D. both to vote and to register to vote, and eliminate mail-in voter registration. "This is a piece of legislation that…
A three-mile stretch at the south end of the Garwood-to-Sagle project on U.S. Highway 95 in North Idaho would be eligible to be added to the bond-funded project, under legislation introduced by the House Ways & Means Committee today at the request of Rep. Frank…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, said the House decided to go ahead and pass its first budget bill today after all, in part because, "We just wanted to have one sent over to the Senate, and besides, that debate was already open on that bill."…
The House has voted 41-15 in favor, with 14 absent, of HB 268, the first budget bill they've taken up. It's the budget for the legislative council. There was no debate. "I just think this is an appropriate way to go with this particular bill,"…
House Republicans have finished a caucus that went for more than two hours, but emerged with no particular agreement on the issue of state employee pay cuts and the budget. They didn't get to transportation, said Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly. "We're still trying to…
House Democrats finished their caucus more than half an hour ago, but Republicans are still going behind closed doors. House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, just knocked on the door of the GOP caucus and conferred with Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, who said the…
The Idaho Senate has voted unanimously 34-0, in favor of SB 1156, the bipartisan legislation to expand Idaho's Sunshine Law to add personal financial disclosure requirements for elected officials and candidates. Idaho is currently one of just three states with no such requirements. Senate Majority…
The Senate has voted 34-0 in favor of SB 1170, its first budget bill, this one for the Department of Finance, which receives no state general funds. The bill, however, like all state budget bills that have come out of JFAC, includes a 5 percent…
Both parties in the House have gone into caucus to talk about state employee pay cuts and the state budget. Republicans also plan to talk about transportation; their caucus is meeting behind closed doors, while the Democrats are meeting openly. House Minority Leader John Rusche,…
The redrawing of legislative districts is always controversial. Now Senate President Pro Tem Bob Geddes, who lost a 2002 state Supreme Court challenge to the current plan, has begun pushing to revamp how Idaho draws 35 legislative districts following each U.S. Census. Click below to…
Gov. Butch Otter hasn't "backed away" from the budget compromise on state employee pay cuts he sent to lawmakers yesterday morning, his budget chief told every state lawmaker in an email this morning. "Don't believe everything you hear being whispered in the hallway," Wayne Hammon…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
