After much discussion, the Senate State Affairs Committee has approved HB 318, Rep. Steven Miller’s resort-city event center special liquor license bill, on a 5-3 vote. Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, said the bill doesn’t adequately define terms including “conference” and “event.” Sen. Brent Hill,…
The Senate State Affairs Committee voted unanimously this morning to endorse an interim legislative committee to examine Idaho’s state purchasing procedures; to back a new version of a resolution on human rights and religious freedom in Turkey; and to introduce a direct primary care pilot...
While chasing like mad around the Capitol late this afternoon, I was distracted from my hunt for whichever lawmakers I was pursuing by this sight: A bird’s nest tucked up in a high corner of the Capitol, and a mama pigeon happily tending two fuzzy…
Rep. Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, voted against six of the seven pieces of the public schools budget in the House on Monday, reports Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune, less than a week after they passed the Senate unanimously – and wouldn’t say why. McMillan, who…
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com, on how Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has vetoed legislation to repeal authorization for “instant racing” gambling machines in Idaho, but senators, while failing to override the veto, noted pointedly that the veto likely was illegal. The...
Well, that was really weird. First, the Senate convened, well after 5 p.m., and three letters were distributed to all senators, one from Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, one from Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, and one from Jennifer Novak, secretary of the Senate, all affirming…
Like the Senate Republicans, the Senate Democrats are sorting through process questions, laws and rules to figure out what’s up with the questions over Gov. Butch Otter’s veto of SB 1011, the instant racing repeal bill. “SB 1011 is law,” said Senate Minority Caucus Chairman...
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter only very, very briefly – for about three minutes – took questions from reporters this afternoon about his veto of SB 1011, the instant racing bill. “The Legislature adjourned Thursday afternoon, and were gone,” he said. “They didn’t open back up...
Gov. Butch Otter today signed the anti-bullying bill, HB 246, into law, telling lawmakers and supporters of the bill, “Thank you all for your leadership and your efforts. This is something we’ve needed for quite some time, and now we have the tools.” Rep. Ilana…
The House has been zipping through the various pieces of the public schools budget, with no debate and few “no” votes. The first one, for the division of administrators, passed on a 65-4 vote, with only Reps. Barbieri, McMillan, Sims and Shepherd voting no. The…
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe is calling on lawmakers to override Gov. Butch Otter’s veto of SB 1011, the bill repealing authorization for betting on “historical horse racing” in Idaho, which has led to the installation of slot machine-like “instant racing” terminals at three Idaho locations.…
The House has voted 39-30 in favor of SB 1146a, the cannabidiol oil bill, sending it to the governor’s desk. The debate on the bill was lengthy, including a vigorous debate from Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, against the bill. “This is kicking the door…
The governor’s office says that Gov. Butch Otter actually vetoed SB 1011, the instant racing repeal bill, on Friday afternoon around 2:45 p.m., not on Saturday, which was the deadline. Asked if Otter then presented the bill to the Senate or anyone in the...
Gov. Butch Otter has issued his veto message on SB 1011, the bill to repeal “instant racing” in Idaho. You can read it here. It includes a letter to the state Racing Commission asking for an indefinite moratorium on the addition of any new instant...
From the House debate on SB 1146a, the cannabidiol bill: House Minority Leader John Rusche, a retired pediatrician, spoke against the bill. “I’ve taken care of kids with … intractable seizure disorders, and it is a nightmare for parents and caretakers,” he said. “But I...
The Senate finally has convened, more than 40 minutes after it was scheduled to do so, and immediately gone “at ease for an extended period of time,” to allow for a closed-door GOP caucus.
The House has suspended its rules and taken up SB 1146a, the cannabidiol bill, to allow Idaho parents of children with intractable epilepsy to use a non-psychotropic extract of cannabis that’s shown promise in treating the youngsters’ life-threatening seizures, with a doctor's recommendation. “The State...
There could be a legal problem with Gov. Butch Otter’s as-yet unannounced veto of SB 1011, the instant racing repeal bill. Otter reportedly took action on the bill over the weekend, by the 4:54 p.m. deadline on Saturday. But state law, in Idaho Code 67-504,...
Gov. Butch Otter has allowed the Uber bill, HB 262, to become law without his signature, overriding all local regulations of ride-sharing services like Uber, which the bill dubs “transportation network companies.” The city of Boise and Uber had been at odds over Boise’s proposed…
“Add the Words” protesters have returned to the Idaho Capitol today, with nearly 30, dressed in black, lining a Statehouse basement hallway, standing silently, each holding a sign with a message about how gay or transgender Idahoans are impacted by the state’s current lack of…
School-choice advocates joined a handful of state lawmakers at a news conference this morning to press for lawmakers to override Gov. Butch Otter’s veto of HB 126, legislation that sought to make a change in the school funding formula, at a cost to the general...
As lawmakers await word from Gov. Butch Otter on a possible veto of SB 1011, the bill to repeal “instant racing” in Idaho – which led to slot machine-like terminals being installed at three locations in the state, surprising lawmakers who didn’t think they’d authorized...
Gov. Butch Otter has signed 10 bills into law this morning, all House bills. They include 154a, a controversial measure to add new restrictions on abortions that are performed via medication, rather than surgery; HB 167a, removing the Idaho Open Meeting Law’s exemption for labor…
Gov. Butch Otter hasn’t yet made any public announcement about his action Saturday on SB 1011, the bill to repeal instant racing in Idaho, but the word in the Statehouse is that he has vetoed the measure. Jon Hanian, Otter’s press secretary, said, “He took...
Lawmakers have been trying to lighten the workload of public defenders in Idaho, passing several bills this session converting misdemeanor changes to lesser violations that don't require a defense attorney, writes AP reporter Ryan Struyk. But Struyk found the new bills combined account for less…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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