With current state tax revenues, Idaho's state budget is on track for a substantial ending balance July 1 of as much as $37 million, according to figures presented to lawmakers today by legislative budget chief Cathy Holland-Smith. That doesn't count $18.3 million in supplemental budget…
Legislative Budget Director Cathy Holland-Smith prefaced her presentation to the Legislative Council with a caveat: Many of the numbers will change from what she's prepared. That's because voters rejected the "Students Come First" school reform laws, meaning state Superintendent Tom Luna's budget request for next…
Idaho state tax revenues came in $10 million below projections in October, for a year-to-date $6.9 million below forecast, a 0.8 percent lag. After accounting for amounts the Legislature must reimburse deficiency accounts for fires, pests and hazardous material incidents, the state now looks on…
Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Coeur d'Alene, says he doesn't want teachers to lose the $38.8 million in performance-pay bonuses that the state is scheduled to send out to school districts on Nov. 15th - he just wants it distributed differently than the voter-rejected "Students Come First"…
Gov. Butch Otter's Medicaid expansion working group is receiving a report from consulting group Milliman this morning on the potential impacts to the state. "On a purely financial basis, it would make sense to expand," Justin Birrell of Milliman told the working group. "You save…
Legislative analyst Eric Milstead briefed lawmakers on how the repeal of the Students Come First law will work. "As of today, the Students Come First legislation is still in effect," Milstead told the Legislative Council. "The Board of Canvassers will meet on Nov. 21 to…
The Legislative Council, the Legislature's leadership group that meets outside the legislative session, is gathered in the House Majority Caucus Room this morning; so far, it's heard reports on interim committees and task forces and discussed training sessions planned for new legislators this year -…
The Idaho Supreme Court is deciding just how much of each death penalty case they must consider under Idaho's mandatory review law, and the ruling could dramatically change the landscape of capital punishment in Idaho, reports AP reporter Rebecca Boone. The issue came up in…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) ― Idaho prosecutors in Pocatello have decided not to file criminal charges against Idaho State football coach Mike Kramer after a player complained that the coach shoved him to the turf during practice. City…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: CALDWELL, Idaho (AP) ― Members of a southwestern Idaho jury decided they couldn't come to a unanimous decision on whether former Canyon County prosecutor John Bujak misused public funds. Jurors on Thursday told 3rd District Court Judge…
I'll be on Idaho Public TV's "Dialogue" program tomorrow night, along with Greg Hahn, Gary Moncrief, and host Marcia Franklin, to discuss the election results. Among them: I've been looking at how we ended up with the exact same party split in the Legislature as…
Here's a link to my full day-after-the-election story at spokesman.com, on how after Idaho voters decisively rejected the "Students Come First" school reform laws on Tuesday, leaders on both sides were calling today for a new start on education reforms in Idaho, with all the…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, told Idaho Statesman columnist Dan Popkey today that he's planning to "aggressively" campaign for another term as speaker - though popular Assistant majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, also is seeking the post. "The game is on," Denney said. "We know…
Idaho 1st District Congressman Raul Labrador has released a statement thanking supporters for his "resounding victory" in yesterday's election. "After the results of the national election, I know we are all wondering what to expect for America’s future," he writes. "Well, you and I both…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter spoke with reporters this afternoon about the election results, and he said the call from "Students Come First" opponents to begin new talks with all stakeholders about school reform is "exactly what I want to do." "I think the interest that…
Coeur d'Alene Sen. John Goedde, who's just won re-election to a seventh term in the Senate, says he may or may not continue as the Senate Education Committee chairman. "I would be in line to take the Commerce & Human Resources chairmanship, and that's something…
1st Congressional District Democratic candidate Jimmy Farris, who polled 30.8 percent to GOP Rep. Raul Labrador's 63 percent in the final, unofficial results, has released this statement: “I want to thank the many people who put their faith in me and honored me with their…
I've had several inquiries from readers concerned that now that voters have rejected Proposition 3, that the state would face costs related to the now-canceled $182 million laptop contract with Hewlett-Packard. I can verify that according to H-P's Business and Scope of Work Proposal, which…
Marc Johnson's "The Johnson Post" offers five takeaways from yesterday's election, including a dose of Idaho historical perspective, some demographics, impacts for the two senior members of the state's congressional delegation, and how the election leaves Idaho balanced on its own "cliff," this one involving…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter issued this statement today on the voters' rejection of Propositions 1, 2, and 3, the "Students Come First" school reform measures: “The people have spoken, so I’m not discouraged. That’s how our system works. But it’s important to remember that the…
Mike Lanza, a Boise father of two who chaired the "No on Props 1,2,3" campaign, said today, "I first got involved in this effort because I have a couple of elementary kids and that was my entire motivation for getting involved. ... This election was…
Leaders of the successful campaign to overturn state schools Superintendent Tom Luna's "Students Come First" school reform laws gathered in front of Boise High School today to talk about what's next. "This debate has never been about union control of schools," said Penni Cyr, president…
After all three of his "Students Come First" school reform measures were soundly defeated by Idaho voters yesterday, state schools Superintendent Tom Luna issued this statement this morning: “I still believe that Idahoans want better schools through education reform. I still believe that empowering local…
Other results from last night, with 99% of the vote counted: SJR 102, county probation services amendment: 74.4% yes, 25.6% no HJR2aa, right to fish, hunt and trap: 73.4% yes, 26.6% no Every incumbent state legislator in districts 1-5 who faced a challenge was re-elected.…
With 93 percent of the vote counted, all three "Students Come First" school reform measures are being soundly defeated. That means the laws passed amid much controversy in 2011 are repealed. Here's where they stand: Proposition 1: 42.8% yes, 57.2% no Proposition 2: 42.1 percent…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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