House is amending day care bill
The House has convened, gone into its amending order and is amending the day care bill, SB 1112a.
Eye On Boise archive for April 2009
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2009
Political coffee war swirls around Guv 5
Here's a news item from AP: BOISE - In a buy-local brew-ha-ha percolating in Boise, a southwestern Idaho coffee roaster is miffed at Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter over his choice of out-of-state java. David Ledgard, who owns Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters, had just paid his…
Senate adjourns for the day
The Senate has adjourned for the day, after moving the new bighorn sheep bill on the calendar but taking no further action. Meanwhile, there's talk among lawmakers about whether the governor's letter is a sign that he's giving in on the transportation funding issue. Some…
JFAC to meet Tuesday morning
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has scheduled a meeting for 8 a.m. on Tuesday, with the agenda still to come. The budget panel held off from meeting last week, amid the impasse between the governor, the House and the Senate over transportation funding.
High stakes for Otter
Over the weekend, AP reporter John Miller wrote about the high stakes in the battle between Gov. Butch Otter and the GOP-dominated Legislature. "No less than his legacy is at stake," he wrote. Click below to read the full article.
Guv thanks lawmakers for work on other issues 3
Gov. Butch Otter sent a letter to every member of the Senate and House of Representatives this morning, thanking them for their work this session and their friendship. "We all have gotten more than our fair share of news media coverage the past few weeks…
Ways & Means to meet today
House Republicans emerged from their closed-door caucus without a lot to say. "We're working on a plan to get this session adjourned and go home," said Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly. "We're still working on it." The House Ways & Means Committee will meet…
Bighorn veto letter received
Gov. Butch Otter's veto on Saturday of SB 1175, regarding bighorn sheep, was received by the Senate this morning, and Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, asked to route the bill back to the Resources Committee. Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, objected; she's taken…
Still at impasse...
In their open caucus, House Democrats asked Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, what's up in the fight over transportation funding. Rusche had huddled briefly in his office with House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, before each went into his respective party caucus. "I have not…
House goes to caucus
The House has recessed until 1 p.m., with both parties headed into caucus. Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, said the House will be "on and off the floor today at different times."
House concurs in ed bill amendments 3
Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, said he was "reluctantly" asking the House to concur in Senate amendments to two education bills, HB 256 and HB 262. Nonini described the Senate changes to the bills as clauses that were "gutted out of the bill." Then he…
They're back...
The House GOP leadership team arrived back at the Capitol Annex, about half an hour after they'd left to meet with the governor. "We're still working on it," said House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly. Asked about the discussions, he said, "We're talking about…
Now he's a senator
There's a Sen. Bob Geddes here this week after all - but he looks a little different. That's because Senate President Pro-tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, has named his dad, former state Rep. Bob Geddes, R-Preston, as his substitute while the younger Geddes has to…
Off to the Guv's office
It was just moments until the House was due to take up this morning, and suddenly the entire House GOP leadership team took off across Capitol Park and headed over for a meeting at the governor's office. There's no word back yet. Before they left,…
SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2009
The week that was...
Here's a link to the 15th week of the legislative session in photos as a slide show. A week that started with dramatics - 35 vetoes and a 100th day cake on the House floor - ended with a one-third-empty House chamber and stalled action…
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2009
On 'Idaho Reports' tonight...
On tonight's "Idaho Reports" program on Idaho Public Television, I join Rep. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise; Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello; and Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert; along with BSU political scientist emeritus Jim Weatherby and host Thanh Tan, to discuss the legislative developments of the week. Among…
Session no closer to ending...
Though yet another transportation bill was introduced today, Idaho's second-longest legislative session ever is no closer to ending. Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's developments in the Legislature, as the 103rd day of the session gives way to the weekend.…
House GOP leaders: 'This is not the day or time'
The four-member House GOP leadership team has issued a statement, saying, "It's time for the Legislature to wrap up its business and go home." They also wrote that while they "respect" Gov. Butch Otter's "convictions," they don't want to raise gax taxes because it's "the…
Cold water from Otter
Gov. Butch Otter, talking with reporters after two bill signing ceremonies this morning, didn't come right out and say the conditional, economically-triggered general fund shift proposal is unacceptable to him as a means of funding transportation, but he sure threw cold water on the idea.…
Ways & Means introduces truck fee bill
The House Ways & Means Committee met just now, though no meeting had been scheduled or announced as of the House's adjournment this morning. The leadership panel introduced a new bill to raise registration fees for heavy trucks by 5 percent, as originally proposed in…
Guv praises bill to help disabled officers
With uniformed officers standing by, Gov. Butch Otter and Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, praised legislation today that will help permanently disabled law enforcement officers with health insurance costs for their families. At a formal signing ceremony for the bill, SB 1111, Otter and officers…
Senate marks passing of Allyn Dingel 11
The Senate has adjourned its session for this morning, after hearing the news of the death of longtime Idaho lobbyist Allyn Dingel. "It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that Allyn Dingel passed away," Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello, told the Senate. She…
'Not hearing a lot of support'
House Democrats gathered for a brief open caucus this morning, at which Caucus Chairman Bill Killen, D-Boise, said he just wanted to keep an "ear to the ground" and keep the caucus up to date on the latest. Assistant Minority Leader James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, said,…
'Life goes on'
The House convened this morning at 8:30 Boise time, and was done by 8:45. There were 26 members absent out of the 70-member chamber. When Majority Leader Mike Moyle moved to adjourn until 9:30 on Monday morning, Assistant Minority Leader James Ruchti responded, "Mr. Speaker,…
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009
And now for the 103rd day...
It's been a day of ups and downs at the Idaho Legislature, as the 102nd day of the session draws to an end. Gov. Butch Otter met with lawmakers multiple times throughout the day, but the basic disagreement of the session, on his transportation initiative,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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