Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, has just announced that he plans to pull his religious freedom expansion bill, HB 427, from the House and ask that it be returned to committee. “The intent of the bill was to provide a shield to protect the free exercise…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has ordered the state police to conduct a criminal investigation of understaffing and falsified documents at a private prison operated by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The governor…
Idaho’s state Land Board voted unanimously today to suspend commercial property acquisitions for the state’s endowment trust, following the recommendation of a six-member working group chaired by Secretary of State Ben Ysursa and including state Controller Brandon Woolf. “Through this working group the Land Board…
City design review rules would all become voluntary, under legislation being pushed by a North Idaho lawmaker, and developers in Idaho couldn’t be told to make structural changes in buildings they’re proposing just for esthetic reasons. “We’ve got to allow participants in a market to…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A plan to exempt veterans from paying taxes on their retirement benefits is moving forward, even after its sponsor said it may cost the state more than double what she originally envisioned. The…
Idaho’s state Land Board decided today to wait until a special meeting next week to vote to accept new cabin-site appraisals for state-owned cabin sites on Priest and Payette lakes, to allow time for a lessees’ group to meet with state Lands Director Tom Schultz…
The Senate has voted 25-10 in favor of SB 1254, the bill to allow guns on Idaho public college campuses; you can read my full story here at spokesman.com. The measure now moves to the House side; to become law, it needs passage there and…
Among those debating SB 1254, the guns-on-campus bill, in the Senate today: Sen. Roy Lacey, D-Pocatello, said, “Our university leadership says no. Our local police department says no. Our local sheriff says no.” He said sometimes lawmakers seem to think the Legislature is “all-knowing and…
Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, told the Senate, “I am my first responder. I would much rather … protect myself.” He noted that he has training and knows how to use and store his firearms, and said he was grateful for that in an incident last…
After Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, asked Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, several questions about how SB 1254 treats open carrying of firearms – McKenzie said it only addresses concealed weapons, and the Constitution addresses open carrying – Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, asked McKenzie to…
Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, asked the guns-on-campus bill sponsor, Sen. Curt McKenzie, if the fiscal note on his bill is accurate, which says there would be only a “de minimus” cost. “Under Joint Rule 18, we are required to have an accurate fiscal note attached…
The Senate is now taking up SB 1254, the controversial guns-on-campus bill, which allows those with enhanced concealed carry permits or retired law enforcement officers to carry guns on Idaho public college and university campuses. All of Idaho's public college presidents and the State Board…
Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch are addressing the Senate and House today, and the two – both of whom are former Senate presidents pro-tem – entered the Senate chamber together, rather than separately. “It’s really an honor to be here today, although my…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House panel ended the state's bid to appeal a federal judge's decision that rules governing protests at the Capitol are unconstitutional. The House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday voted to reject rules…
Steven Hall, of Hall-Widdoss & Co. PC, an appraisal firm based in Missoula, Mont., is briefing the state Land Board this morning on how its new state-owned cabin-site appraisals were calculated. The appraisals defined market value for the lots as a “vacant and unimproved tract.”…
Idaho’s state Land Board is meeting this morning, and considering new appraisal values for state-owned cabin sites at Priest and Payette lakes. The new values came in about 2.5 percent lower overall than the 2013 values, but individually, they vary considerably, with some as much…
AAA of Idaho, which advocates for motorists, is calling HB 481, the gas-tax increase bill introduced by the Idaho Trucking Association, a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The bill would raise Idaho’s 25 cent per gallon gas tax by two cents a year for three years,…
House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, is proposing legislation this morning to cut Idaho’s corporate and individual income tax rates, in all brackets, by a tenth of a percent a year for the next six years. The cost to the state general fund would be…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has begun agency budget-setting this morning, starting with some smaller ones, including the Department of Finance, Industrial Commission, state lottery, the Endowment Fund Investment Board and the Public Utilities Commission. Bigger decisions are up later in the week, including the Attorney…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
