It’s “Buy Idaho” day in the Capitol, when the annual Buy Idaho show fills three floors of the Capitol rotunda, showcasing Idaho products and services and offering freebies galore. The show includes everything from honey to home inspections, cherries to beef jerky. It’s open to…
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today’s statement from two GOP state representatives that they saw Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, damage property in the Idaho Capitol building during her first week in office in 2015 out of fear that she was…
After three hours of debate and deliberations, the Legislature’s joint Change in Employee Compensation Committee has voted 9-8 to accept Gov. Butch Otter’s recommendation, which includes 3 percent merit raises for state employees next year. That substitute motion was made by Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise.…
Both remaining motions have been voted down, and Rep. Neil Anderson, R-Blackfoot, the committee co-chairman, now is offering a complex new motion. Sen. Fred Martin’s CEC motion, for 3 percent merit raises plus a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment, was voted down on a 5-12 vote.…
Two motions have been voted down, and the CEC Committee is now taking a break, though some members objected; it's 6:15 p.m. in Boise, well after the panel expected to be done. An array of motions has been proposed. Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, proposed a...
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and backers of a proposed for-profit osteopathic medical school have been touting the 78 new medical residency positions the proposed school says it has created. But an Associated Press review shows those residency spots don't yet exist, and the accreditation board…
The Joint CEC Committee – that’s Change in Employee Compensation – is meeting in room WW 17 to make its final recommendation with regard to state employee pay for next year. You can listen live here. Co-Chairman Rep. Neil Anderson, R-Blackfoot, noted that last year,…
Idaho bars with liquor licenses would be required to be open at least 20 hours a week and must sell at least 20 drinks a week under a new proposal introduced in an Idaho House panel on Tuesday. Under Idaho's current law, a single liquor license is allowed for every 1,500 residents of cities. This quota system has resulted in long waiting lists...
Two Idaho representatives have released a statement saying they saw Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, damage property in the Idaho Capitol building during her first week in office in 2015 out of fear that she was being spied upon – an allegation mentioned in a letter…
The Idaho Senate has voted unanimously to reject a contest of the November election results from Tom Katsilometes, a Pocatello Republican who lost in November to new Sen. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello. Today’s vote followed a three-hour hearing in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday…
Idaho’s magistrate judges are currently on the road so much that some are sitting outside their home county four days a week, state courts Administrative Director Sara Thomas told legislative budget writers today, and some are traveling up to 20,000 miles a year. That’s because...
After last year’s Idaho Commission on the Arts budget was unexpectedly defeated on the floor of the House in an unrelated squabble between House Democrats and Republicans, lawmakers drafted a new version with just one difference: An extra $200 from legislators’ private donations to add…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and First Lady Lori Otter will depart Wednesday for Washington, D.C., where the governor will take part in a Medicaid roundtable in the Senate Finance Committee hearing room on Thursday morning; and the couple will attend the Congressional Leadership Inaugural Celebration,…
Gov. Butch Otter has made a series of revisions to his executive budget for next year, which were presented to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning by his budget chief, Jani Revier. Among them: The addition of a new director of information security position in…
Two bills to clarify some legal requirements for running for office were introduced Monday morning. The first would change the law to specify that a candidate for Legislature must be a registered voter in the legislative district for a year before running. While the Secretary of State' office has...
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has signed an executive order aimed at protecting the state's computer networks from hackers. The order signed Monday creates a director of Information security position, with that person reporting directly to the governor. The search to fill that position will begin after...
As the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee began its hearings on state agencies’ budgets today, it received some interesting news this morning from the state Department of Insurance: The department has reverted almost 20 percent of its overall budget back to the state general fund. Department…
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how an Idaho Senate panel turned itself into the equivalent of a court on Monday, hearing arguments, weighing evidence, and ultimately rejecting a challenge to the November election results in one eastern Idaho district. The…
Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said he has lowered the tax burden for Idaho residents by roughly $1 billion during his 11-year tenure, and an Associated Press review shows the numbers added up. Otter announced his tax-cutting accomplishments during his annual State of the State address Monday to lawmakers and other elected officials. Otter...
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how five GOP state representatives members stood on the floor of the Idaho House this morning and asked to be removed from their committee assignments until Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, gets hers back – and…
In a newsletter sent out to her constituents today, Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, accused House Speaker Scott Bedke of stripping her committee assignments for “no addressed reason in order to flex his muscle to intimidate new liberty legislators.” Scott wrote that high points of the…
House Republicans wrapped up a brief closed-door caucus today, without addressing five GOP lawmakers’ requests to be removed from their committee assignments in solidarity with Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, who lost hers in a disciplinary sanction. “I don’t think I’ll be acting on those requests...
Several hundred people filled the Capitol rotunda today for the state’s official Martin Luther King-Idaho Human Rights Day ceremony, marking the state holiday. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired millions of Americans to participate in non-violent demonstrations to support the ideals of equality for all,…
Asked if five GOP House members’ statements on the House floor that they want to give up their committee assignments, too, since Rep. Heather Scott’s have been stripped, mean that the five are now off their committees, House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, said, “I would have to take that action...
Five House members stood on the House floor this morning and asked to be removed from their committee assignments until Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, gets hers back. “I’m deeply concerned about the integrity of this body and mixed messages being sent to the communities of...