HB 140, the bill brought by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe on behalf of all of Idaho’s Indian tribes to clarify that reservation property owned by tribal governments isn’t subject to county sales taxes has passed the Senate on a 33-2 vote, and now heads to…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House Republican this Thursday will introduce a measure seeking to expand Idaho's Medicaid program, a key provision in President Barack Obama's health insurance overhaul. Rep. Tom Loertscher of Bone said Tuesday he'll…
The House Transportation Committee has given its unanimous support to SB 1064, removing the expiration date from a 10-year pilot project allowing extra-heavy trucks on 35 specific routes in southern Idaho. Roy Eiguren, speaking for the Right Truck for Idaho Coalition, said the pilot project…
Idaho is one of just six states with no training or certification requirements whatever for workers who run X-rays on patients, from simple pictures to CT scans and other complicated imagery – and it’s the only state in the region. Yet legislation introduced this year…
Here are some other highlights from the House speaker and Senate president pro-tem’s annual talk and Q-and-A with the Idaho Press Club today: NO PERSONAL PROPTAX SHOWDOWN: Both Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill said they’ve received no pressure or threats from…
In his remarks to the Idaho Press Club today – before taking on-the-record questions from the press – Senate President Pro-tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, read a letter he received from a 5thgrader in his district. “I’m 10 years old and I live in Madison County.…
Asked if the House is in for a six-hour hearing tomorrow when it takes up the state health exchange legislation – since that’s what happened in the Senate – the Legislature’s top leaders laughed a little. “Twice as many people – you’re looking at 12…
House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-tem Brent Hill, addressing the Idaho Press Club today, both said they think it’s likely the Legislature can adjourn by the end of March. “I still don’t see anything that should keep us here after the end of…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A proposed $2 million measure to boost efforts to fight child pornographers in Idaho has cleared the Senate. The bill approved on a unanimous vote Tuesday, SB 1079, would expand a task force…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — For-profit higher education institutions in Idaho that provide courses but cannot issue degrees may be required to disclose more information about job placement rates under a bill introduced in a House committee. The…
In the end, 37 people testified; only six were in favor of HB 276, the IACI bill, with all the rest backing HB 272, the counties bill, except for two who spoke against both. “I will allot a little time tomorrow morning in our committee…
In continuing testimony this morning on HB 272 and HB 276 on personal property tax on business equipment: Brian Blad, mayor of Pocatello, said, “I have yet to have a discussion on a company not coming to Idaho for the reason of not paying that…
“I don’t want to cut the time down, but we’ve got enough speakers that we could be here ‘til 2 o’clock this afternoon,” House Rev & Tax Chairman Gary Collins just told the crowd. He asked people to cut their comments down and make sure…
In continuing testimony on the two competing personal property tax bills this morning: David Lincoln, a commissioner of the Golden Gate Highway District, said, “I’ve spent half of my life as commissioner of our local highway district. This is the first time I believe that…
Jeff Sayer, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce, was the first up to testify this morning at the personal property tax hearing. “I will in advance apologize to my peers who come from counties and cities,” he said. “We are in full support of…
Alex LaBeau, head of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, noted that he was sitting all by himself before coming up to present his personal property tax bill, HB 276, and he looked behind him at the audience before he began speaking. “I didn’t…
Seth Grigg of the Idaho Association of Counties told the House Rev & Tax Committee this morning, “We see this as a beginning process, through which at some point in time a full repeal might occur.” He said, “HB 272, in our view, is a…
The hearing on two competing personal property tax relief bills has opened in the Abraham Lincoln Auditorium this morning, with the House Revenue & Taxation hearing (but not voting on) two bills: HB 272, from the Idaho Association of Counties, to pull the trigger on…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
