House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said he decided not to put reconsideration of HCR 42, on state retirees' cost-of-living increases, on the agenda for today's committee meeting because he didn't want to have to take public testimony, including comments from PERSI officials.…
The House State Affairs Committee has now voted along party lines - with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed - to send HCR 42 to the full House with a recommendation that it "do-pass." The measure would block the scheduled 1 percent COLA…
Democrats on the committee strenuously objected to reconsidering HCR 42, the measure to block a 1 percent COLA for state retirees, today - after it was rejected on a 13-5 vote after a full hearing yesterday. "This is a complete ambush today," said Rep. Anne…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted on straight party lines - with all Democrats objecting - to reconsider yesterday's 13-5 vote to kill a resolution from Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, to block a scheduled 1 percent COLA for state retirees. Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest…
The House State Affairs Committee has killed HB 497, Rep. Phil Hart's immigration bill. A motion to amend it instead and remove much of the bill - the section to suspend employers' licenses for violations - failed on a 6-11 vote, and then a motion…
Brent Olmstead, lobbyist for the Milk Producers of Idaho, said an array of groups oppose HB 497, Rep. Phil Hart's immigration bill, and they include the Food Producers of Idaho, the Idaho Farm Bureau, the Idaho Retailers Association, the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry,…
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, is presenting his immigration legislation to the House State Affairs Committee this morning, seeking to penalize employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants by suspending their business licenses. The measure, HB 497, also includes misdemeanor penalties for using false identification to secure…
HJR 5, a constitutional amendment to allow indebtedness for public airports and air navigation facilities, cleared the House State Affairs Committee this morning with just one "no" vote, after military officials confirmed that it'd be helpful to Idaho's bid to land an F-35 training base…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is hearing today from legislative committee chairmen on their recommendations on budgets. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, went first, telling JFAC his committee is working to quickly pass the surcharge on convictions that courts are seeking to make up…
JFAC members gathered this morning in a workshop meeting to begin going over the figures and steps they'll have to take tomorrow to cut $69 million out of the current year's state budget. A proposal worked up by the JFAC co-chairs, other JFAC members, education…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Friday will "re-balance" the fiscal year 2010 budget - the state budget for the current year - by imposing cuts, transferring money from reserve funds, and more, dealing with every agency in state government. "We'll make the additional reductions that…
What rights should an unmarried biological father have, when the unmarried birth mother wants to put a baby up for adoption? No rights? All rights? Rights sufficient to hold up or stop an adoption, even if he's really just trying to make his ex-lover's life…
It's "Buy Idaho" day in the Idaho state Capitol, when the entire Statehouse is turned into a giant trade show highlighting Idaho products. In the Rotunda on the first, second, third and fourth floors, merchants are handing out free samples, showcasing their products, taking orders…
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo is now addressing the state Senate; he'll then address the House. "This is the first time I've been back since the remodeling, and it looks great," he said. "It looks fantastic." Crapo said his "first report on Washington, D.C. is it's…
The Senate State Affairs Committee, after a nearly two-hour hearing in which committee members raised serious legal concerns about the bill, nevertheless voted 6-3 this morning in favor of the "Idaho Health Freedom Act," a measure that bans the enforcement of any federal requirement for…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted 13-5 to kill legislation proposed by Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, to block a scheduled 1 percent cost-of-living adjustment for state retirees on "equity" grounds, because active state employees are facing furloughs and other cuts. "It seems inconsistent," Lake…
One odd thing about the new criticism of Idaho Public Television's manager, Peter Morrill, by the governor's budget chief, Wayne Hammon, is that just a month ago Hammon heaped praise on Morrill as a creative, frugal manager. Now, Hammon is saying the governor's proposal to…
Gov. Butch Otter's budget chief, Wayne Hammon, said Tuesday that the governor's plan to eliminate all state funding for Idaho Public Television over the next four years was a "wake-up call for them to get on board" with budget cuts. Until now, Otter's aides have…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how the debate over tax breaks intensified in Idaho today, with a Senate committee's decision to kill a popular tax break for homeless shelters that had unanimously passed the House, and a congressman's call for…
Legislation that had unanimously passed the House to grant a temporary, two-year sales tax exemption to non-profit homeless shelters in Idaho has been killed - unanimously - in the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee. Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise, sponsor of HB 435, said after…
The Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee has agreed unanimously to support introduction of legislation proposed by Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, to require the Legislature to review all sales tax exemptions at least every five years, and put a five-year expiration date on any new…
Today's Idaho Land Board meeting turned into a packed, nearly five-hour marathon that ran through the lunch hour and 'til nearly 2 in the afternoon. "They didn't know that it was going to go that long," noted board secretary Susan Terry; the meeting had been…
Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes and House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke just finished a newsy and informative talk to the Idaho Press Club, including a Q-and-A exchange with reporters on everything from texting while driving to tax increases. "We're probably getting close to halfway…
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch hoisted a tall stack of paper onto the podium in the state Senate as he wrapped up his address to lawmakers this morning. "This is the original health care bill - it's about 3,000 pages," he told the Senate. "There's no…
Sen. Jim Risch has been escorted into the Senate chamber to address lawmakers. "Well, gosh, it's good to be home," he told them. Risch is the former Senate president pro-tem, former majority leader, as lieutenant governor served as president of the Senate. He praised the…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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