Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has sent out an opinion piece calling for "restoring focus on our legislative priorities," which he identifies as "education, workforce development, economic opportunity, and responsibly fulfilling the other proper roles of government within the people’s means." Writes Otter, "We probably won’t…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has voted 20-0 to funnel $6.6 million in state funds right away to Education Networks of America, the contractor running the state’s Idaho Education Network that provides broadband service to Idaho high schools – but no more, for now. The state…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has voted 20-0 in favor of the recommendation from another joint legislative committee, the Millennium Fund committee, for distributing tobacco settlement proceeds to various health and anti-substance abuse programs next year. Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Idaho Falls, had prepared a motion to…
If you’ve been looking at House committee agendas, you may notice that this afternoon’s House committees that are scheduled to meet both have a contingency on their start times – they’ll meet at 1:30 p.m. “or on adjournment.” What that means: The House is likely…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is setting budgets this morning, with several pieces of the state Department of Health & Welfare budget up first, for indirect support services, independent councils, licensing and certification and public health services. Three JFAC members, Sens. Dan Schmidt and Sheryl Nuxoll…
Idaho State University could lose its license to conduct nuclear research from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission if a bill to allow concealed weapons on college campuses becomes law, Gov. Butch Otter said Friday, according to the AP and the Idaho State Journal. Otter, in a…
Great skiing up at Bogus Basin this weekend, where the mountain is now in excellent shape, opening up favorite spots that hadn’t been accessible all season until now. Paradise was closed for the weekend for the annual Trudi Bolinder Memorial Super-G race, a USSA qualifier…
On tonight’s “Idaho Reports” program on Idaho Public Television, I join Jim Weatherby, Kimberlee Kruesi, and co-hosts Melissa Davlin and Aaron Kunz for a discussion of the legislative events of the week, from wolves to protests to justice reform. Also, Davlin interviews Idaho Supreme Court…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Attacks on health care workers could become felonies that land the perpetrator in prison for up to three years under a bill that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday afternoon. Nurses, doctors…
The House has voted 49-16 in favor of HB 470, the $2 million wolf-control bill, with 11 Democrats and five Republicans opposing the measure; GOP opponents included Reps. Harris, Agidius, Luker, McDonald, and Barrett, who had earlier said she was leaning in favor. Democrats voting…
In the continuing wolf debate in the House: Rep. Ken Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs, repeated his call to build a fence around Yellowstone National Park and put all the wolves in there. “We could see how nature takes care of its own, and the more…
In continuing debate in the House on HB 470, the wolf bill: Rep. Mat Erpelding, D-Boise, said, “Forty-three thousand hunters raised $380,000 a year buying hunting tags. … The reality is that sportsmen are already doing their part, $380,000 a year is already doing their…
In the House debate on the $2 million wolf control bill, HB 470: “This bill is not a wolf-management bill,” Rep. Marc Gibbs, R-Grace, told the House. “This is a wolf control funding bill.” The measure, HB 470, would set up a new board and…
With no debate, the House has unanimously endorsed restoring employment supports through Medicaid for people with developmental disabilities that fell victim to budget cuts in 2011; HB 476 passed on a 63-0 vote, and now moves to the Senate. The House also passed legislation to…
The Senate has voted 34-1 in favor of SB 1277a, legislation from Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and nearly a half-dozen others to restore the ability for state-owned cottage sites to be disposed of through land exchanges; all such exchanges were suspended earlier this year due…
Idaho state Commerce Director Jeff Sayer introduce new business incentive legislation this morning that he called a “game-changer” for economic development in Idaho. Patterned after a Utah law, the bill would allow the state to consider rebating up to 30 percent of a company’s corporate…
Lawmakers want to restore funding for one deputy attorney general and two investigators cut from the Idaho Attorney General’s office during the economic downturn, to allow the office to respond to requests from counties to take on cases including those involving public corruption. “We’ve had…
The Senate State Affairs Committee has voted overwhelmingly in favor of SB 1271, the bill from a Boise 13-year-old to make the Idaho giant salamander the state’s official amphibian; the bill now moves to the full Senate. It needs passage both there and in the…
Ilah Hickman, 13, told the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning that since the print hearing on her bill to make the Idaho giant salamander the designated state amphibian, she’s done additional research at the suggestion of Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis. She catalogued for…
Idaho is likely headed for a lawsuit over inadequacies in its public defender system, lawmakers warned this morning, and they could take a step to improve the system by boosting pay for lawyers in the State Appellate Public Defender’s Office closer to those in the…
Ilah Hickman, the young lady who bowled over a House committee last year with her persuasive pitch to make the Idaho giant salamander the state amphibian but didn’t end up getting a full hearing, is back at the Statehouse today, where she has a hearing…
Twenty-five “Add the Words” protesters were arrested tonight on the third and fourth floors of the state Capitol, outside the Senate chamber and the Senate gallery, where they were blocking the doors; all were brought to a Statehouse basement visitor room for processing, searched, and…
After a three-and-a-half-hour hearing, the House Agriculture Committee has voted 13-1 in favor of SB 1337, the bill to criminalize taking surreptitious video or photos of an agricultural operation without the owner’s permission. The only committee member to vote against the bill was Rep. Mat…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — More gay rights activists were arrested by Idaho State Police after refusing to lift their peaceful blockade of the Idaho Senate. In all, 30 people were arrested Thursday. That included 23 people who…
Among those testifying on SB 1337, the agriculture security or so-called “ag-gag” bill, this afternoon: Elham Marder, a corporate attorney representing herself, said, “Businesses should be focused on training and prevention, not passing legislation to keep consumers in the dark.” Brent Olmstead, executive director of…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
| Feb. 2014 | ||||
| 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 |
| 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
| 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
| 10 | 07 | 06 | 05 | 04 |
| 03 | 01 |
