GOP redistricting Commissioner Lou Esposito said, "I do want to bring us back to what our original goals are. ... I'm all in favor of finding the common ground." He said he's working on a plan that has more of a "bright line" between the…
Redistricting Commissioner George Moses said plan C-33, the GOP Five Mile Plan for congressional districts, "does zig and zag around, and if you were to tell somebody how to figure out which districts they're in ... you'd have to be very knowledgable." He said, "When…
Redistricting commissioners are back at work, and say they have at least three new plans to introduce before their lunch break, as far as where to draw the line between Idaho's two congressional districts. They're also reviewing existing plans C-33, C-34 and C-35.
Idaho's citizen redistricting commission has convened this morning, and briefly discussed comments received over the weekend on the four proposed congressional district plans it's currently considering. "It's clear to me that our partisans have spoken," said Commissioner George Moses, as the other commissioners chuckled. Said…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Republicans have approved a motion giving Sen. John McGee a vote of no confidence following a drunken driving incident but postponed indefinitely a resolution calling for the Senate majority caucus chairman to…
Idaho's GOP Central Committee, at its meeting in Moscow today, approved moving to a caucus system – like the Idaho Democrats' – for its presidential delegate selection in 2012, making the state's presidential primary election meaningless for both parties. “It would just make it irrelevant,”…
Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador is pushing legislation in Congress to ease restrictions on geothermal exploration on federal lands, a move experts say could lead to more development of a "green" energy source for which the United States is the world's leading producer. The bill, H.R.…
Idaho's bipartisan citizen redistricting commission has decided to adjourn until Monday morning at 10, "in light of all the good material we've got to digest," in the words of Co-Chairman Evan Frasure. Said Commissioner George Moses, "We would invite public comments on all that has…
A detailed analysis of proposed legislative redistricting plan L-16, which was submitted this week by North Idaho Sens. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, shows a slightly different impact on incumbents than originally estimated. Here's the breakdown: Under that proposed new legislative district plan…
Redistricting Commissioner Evan Frasure has submitted congressional district plan C-35, which is identical to the GOP's earlier plan but doesn't split precincts. There are now four plans on the table for the commission. Commissioner George Moses raised the possibility of leaving all four out for…
Democratic redistricting commissioners have also pointed to one of the plans submitted from the public, C-22. "We selected this from among the public plans - it divides no counties, divides no precincts, and it is contiguous and compact," said Commissioner George Moses. Commissioner Julie Kane…
Redistricting Commission Co-Chairman Evan Frasure asked Deputy Attorney General Mike Gilmore which of the two proposed Idaho congressional district plans - the Republican plan, C-33, with zero population deviation and one county split, or the Democratic plan, C-34, with a population deviation of 53 people…
Democratic Redistricting Commissioner Julie Kane said, "For discussion purposes, I would like to submit a plan as well. ... I would call it the I-84 plan." The Democratic plan has a deviation between the two congressional districts of plus or minus 53 people, .01 percent.…
Commissioner Lorna Finman has submitted a GOP congressional district plan, which keeps the 1st and 2nd congressional districts essentially as they are now, just moving the line in Ada County west two miles from Cole Road to Five Mile Road. "We call it the Five…
Idaho's citizen redistricting commission is hearing from the state attorney general's office this morning about legal precedents on population variance between congressional districts, and on splitting counties between congressional districts. "The zero deviation does seem to be preferred by the court," Deputy Attorney General Megan…
The Idaho Transportation Department has agreed to pay more than $1 million in fines for Clean Water Act violations related to construction on Highway 95 south of Coeur d'Alene, including an additional $774,000 in fines it'll pay now on top of the $325,000 it paid…
Idaho GOP Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have joined with Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Mark Begich of Alaska to introduce legislation today designed to overturn a 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that the four say would subject logging roads…
The redistricting commission will convene again in the morning; after reviewing all the public plans submitted today, commissioners had questions, including: If the public can come up with plans that divide Idaho into two congressional districts with exactly even numbers of people, to avoid legal…
Among the 29 proposed congressional district maps submitted to the citizens redistricting commission by members of the public are some that split Ada County, as do the current districts; some that put all of Ada County in District 1 while moving all of Canyon and…
Idaho Republicans have dropped a proposed rule change to let party committees screen candidates for primary elections and select just two for each office, but they'll consider plenty of other big changes when they gather Friday in Moscow for their annual state central committee meeting,…
Idaho's citizen redistricting commission has started its work this afternoon, with review of congressional plans submitted by the public up first for consideration. The commission is scheduled to meet until 4:30 today; you can listen live here.
Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of firetrucks, hotshot crew carriers and other fire apparatus accompanied the funeral procession today for fallen Boise firefighter Caleb Hamm, 24, who died July 7 while fighting a fire near Mineral Wells, Texas. His funeral is at 11 a.m. today…
The Idaho Transportation Department on Wednesday reissued permits for two Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil mini-megaloads - giant loads that have been reduced in height by half - to roll up Highway 95 from Lewiston through Moscow to Coeur d'Alene, then take I-90 to Montana en route to…
Idaho's citizen redistricting commission has wrapped up its 14th and final public hearing tonight in Meridian, after a full two hours of testimony. "It has been a profound and rich experience for me," said Commissioner Julie Kane of Lapwai. "I think we are a very…
Maria Gonzales Mabbut of Nampa urged consideration of the Latino community in drawing new district lines; she said several people are working on submitting maps to reflect that. Brad Hoaglun, Meridian city councilman, said the city of Meridian would like to remain in a single…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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