The House is now debating SJM 106, Gov. Butch Otter's proposal for a non-binding resolution calling on Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban health-care mandates. Among those debating against the measure: Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, who said, "I think we already have the…
The House is back in session, and House Speaker Lawerence Denney announced that HB 730 will be held at the desk. That's the bill introduced this morning in the House Education Committee to require changes in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee budget process, from requiring public…
Gov. Butch Otter has allowed SB 1353 - the health care "conscience" bill - to become law without his signature. In a statement explaining why, he wrote, "Forcing healthcare professionals to provide services they find morally objectionable is unacceptable; however, negatively impacting patients' rights -…
A near-party line vote in the House State Affairs Committee has approved SJM 106, Gov. Butch Otter's proposal for a non-binding resolution calling on Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban health-care mandates. David Hensley, the governor's legal counsel, said the governor has received…
The House is going at ease, and the House State Affairs Committee plans to meet in 10 minutes.
"Nevertheless, the GARVEE bill passed"The evils of going in debtHave many House members upsetWe're already infor $681 millionBut $12 million more on the bet?
The Senate has voted 21-13 in favor of HB 692a, the bill to raise salaries for Idaho's top elected officials three and four years out, after first cutting them 4 percent next year and then restoring them to this year's level in 2012. "It is…
Here's an oddity: Gov. Butch Otter apparently signed a slew of bills into law on Thursday, but didn't bother to tell anyone about it. Among the bills he signed: SB 1286, the measure declaring raccoons to be "predatory wildlife"; HB 561, allowing docks to be…
The Senate Transportation Committee has voted to amend the new House-passed anti-texting-while-driving bill, HB 729, and now it's headed to the Senate's 14th Order for amendment. "The bill that this committee passed out unanimously I think was a much better piece of legislation," said Senate…
"Idaho legislators show feds who's boss"We're so darn fed up with the fedsWe'll hit them right over their headsWith bills and with votesMemorials and quotesHey voters, does that give us cred?
The Senate has voted in favor of another measure calling for amending the U.S. Constitution, again on a divided voice vote. This one, SJM 106, was just introduced on Friday morning at the behest of Gov. Butch Otter; it calls for a 28th Amendment to…
Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, who is retiring after this year's session after serving seven terms, was honored in the House today with a giant gavel, in honor of how he treated those he chose to gavel as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. After…
The House has voted 44-24 in favor of SB 1427, the $12 million GARVEE bonding measure for next year, after at least an hour's debate. "We all have to be concerned about debt, but we all have to be concerned about opportunity that's right before…
Meanwhile, the House is locked in an extended debate over the GARVEE bonding proposal for next year, which calls for bonding for just $12 million. That's SB 1427; it's already passed the Senate. Among those debating against it are House Transportation Chairwoman JoAn Wood, R-Rigby,…
After extended debate, the Senate has backed HCR 64 in a divided voice vote, approving a House-passed measure backed by Gov. Butch Otter calling for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to broaden the 10th Amendment on states' rights and narrow the Commerce Clause. Sen.…
The Senate Transportation Committee will meet at 1 p.m., presumably to hear HB 729, the new House version of the texting-while-driving ban, which was both introduced and passed the House on Friday.
The House has voted 48-20 in favor of SB 1419, the higher education budget, which includes a 14.1 percent cut in state general funds and a 7.8 percent cut overall. The bill, which already has passed the Senate, now goes to Gov. Butch Otter. There…
The Senate hasn't gone on the floor yet; Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes and Lt. Gov. Brad Little said they're just getting the calendar in order for the day. "We're waiting as fast as we can," Geddes said. "We're going to do that most of…
The House has convened and passed the first two bills on its 3rd Reading calendar, HB 545a on habitual truancy, and HB 493a, the education "mastery" bill as amended in the Senate. Now they're debating the higher ed budget, SB 1419. Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow,…
Legislation to cut Idaho's corporate and individual income tax rates by more than a third over the next 10 years is up for an "informational" hearing this morning in the House Revenue & Taxation Committee, though it won't advance this year. Rep. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian,…
The first motion in House Ed this morning, to introduce the new legislation to make changes in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee's budget-setting process and then hold a hearing on the measure, failed on an 8-8 tied vote. The original motion, from Rep. Branden Durst, D-Boise,…
The House Education Committee is debating new legislation proposed by Reps. Eric Anderson, Bob Nonini, Phil Hart and Shirley Ringo to require the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee to take both public testimony and comment from germane committee members before setting any budget. The bill also would…
"Yellowstone Bear World"In these halls it's thought of as sageFor lawmaking just to vent rage.But some bills do moreWith a lobbyist on boardYou can pay less than minimum wage.
George Sayler taught government to high school students for 31 years, but when he arrived in the state Legislature eight years ago, he said, “I had a lot to learn.” He understood how the system worked. “But actually seeing it in effect – seeing the…
In the closing days of the legislative session, even a simple bill regarding aquifer management funding that's already passed one house unanimously can be a show-stopper. Click below to read AP reporter John Miller's full report on the Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan bill, which was…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
| March 2010 | ||||
| 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
| 12 | 11 | 10 | 09 | 08 |
| 05 | 04 | 03 | 02 | 01 |
