This morning, JFAC wrapped up three days of hearings on Health & Welfare budgets, with more troubling news about soaring caseloads, crimped funds and Idahoans being pushed onto public assistance by the economic downturn. Russ Barron, administrator of the Welfare Division, said, "The number of…
Here's a news item from the AP: The State Board of Education wants to undo a law forbidding spouses of Idaho university presidents from being hired at the schools. Mark Browning, an Ed Board spokesman, told the House Education Committee Thursday university presidents often come…
Congressional candidate Vaughn Ward said today he's adding three more stops to his planned 14-stop "official announcement tour" next week, in McCall, Fruitland and Weiser, making it a 17-stop tour. Ward and state Rep. Raul Labrador are vying for the GOP nomination in the 1st…
Gov. Butch Otter has scheduled a press conference for Friday at 11 a.m. with Nancy Merrill, director of the state Department of Parks & Recreation, for "an important announcement about Parks and Recreation management." Otter's budget proposal for next year included a "conceptual" proposal to…
Lawmakers are struggling with runaway costs in the state's Catastrophic Health Care Fund, thanks to the plunging economy that's thrown more Idahoans on the mercy of their county indigent programs when they have a health crisis. Counties pay up to $11,000 per case, and then…
Idaho Supreme Court Chief Justice Dan Eismann is giving his annual "State of the Judiciary" message to lawmakers today, first in the full House, then in the full Senate. In the House, he said, "In a word, the state of the Idaho judiciary is excellent."…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted 16-1 in favor of HB 379, the proposal from Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, to do away with the tax form check-off through which Idaho taxpayers can donate $1 to the political party of their choice, without paying any…
So, just what does the revenue figure set by the Joint Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee yesterday signify? It's a recommendation to leadership and JFAC, but JFAC isn't bound by it. For many years, after taking testimony from economists, business leaders and more, the…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
