The Idaho Women's Commission would receive no state funding next year and its only part-time employee would be eliminated, under a budget that just won 15-5 approval from the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, made the motion for zero funding. She said each…
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has set a budget for state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna that relies on a federal grant to fund a longitudinal data system, plus allows Luna to carry over $80,000 from this year's budget for that purpose. Gov. Butch Otter had…
There's a packed hearing and 15 people signed up to testify on Rep. Tom Loertscher's bill to allow Idaho pharmacists, or "any person," to refuse to provide a prescription to a patient on the basis of the person's conscience. Under questioning from House State Affairs…
Rep. Judy Boyle's bill to require the state to issue an official "certificate of fetal death" at the request of a woman who has an early miscarriage or abortion brought an hour of emotional testimony this morning, including "grave concern" expressed by the head of…
Here's a news item from AP: "A Senate Committee has approved a bill to raise hunting and fishing fees, but the legislation may face some challenges getting a quick, clean trip through the House and Senate. The bill approved by the Senate Resources Committee Monday…
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, and Senate Minority Leader Kate Kelly, D-Boise, introduced legislation this morning in the Senate State Affairs Committee to end Idaho's distinction as one of just four states in the nation with no financial disclosure requirements for its state…
Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, brought legislation to the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning to penalize Idaho employers who hire people who aren't legal U.S. residents. Jorgenson read his oath of office as a legislator to the committee, and said that's why he's bringing…
There's a full house for the second day of hearings today on the proposed Fish & Game fee increase in the Senate Resources Committee. People are testifying both for and against the increase; the panel isn't expected to vote on the bill before next week.
Legislative budget director Cathy Holland-Smith is briefing JFAC members on all the numbers, in preparation for the committee setting budget target numbers for both the current and the 2010 fiscal years. The background is complex as can be, and every theoretical change - whether or…
Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, offered a chance to defend her district after it was dissed by state budget director Wayne Hammon (he told her, “The future of Idaho is not contained in the North End”), had this to say: "The Statehouse is in my district…
After a long, packed hearing, the House Environment Committee voted overwhelmingly to approve Rep. Eric Anderson's quagga mussel bill, which requires every boat owner in the state - motorized or not - to purchase a sticker to help fund boat-washing efforts to keep the invasive…
After three days of long and intense hearings, the House Revenue & Taxation Committee has voted 13-5 to kill legislation to raise Idaho's beer and wine taxes. The measure, HB 140, was designed to raise a tax not raised in more than four decades, to…
A small group of activists gathered on the Capitol Annex steps at mid-day today to urge Gov. Butch Otter and lawmakers to make use of the federal economic stimulus funds. Holding signs with slogans like, "It's our $$ Take the Stimulus" and "People not Potholes,"…
The fifth week of this year's Idaho legislative session was a tumultuous one, opening with Gov. Butch Otter's return to the legislative battlefield after shoulder surgery, pushing for his transportation package, and closing with painful decisions on deep new state budget cuts. But just hours…
Among the possibilities for balancing next year's budget in light of dropping state revenues: A 5 percent cut in funding for personnel at all state agencies and institutions and public schools, which could come in the form of an across-the-board pay cut, furloughs or other…
Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Boise for his visit to the Special Olympics, about four hours late due to weather delays. The welcoming party greeting him at his plane included Gov. Butch Otter, Lt. Gov. Brad Little, Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, Attorney…
Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, left, and Boise School District Superintendent Stan Olson, right, discuss the impact of proposed state budget cuts on the Boise school district. Boise-area legislators invited Olson and other local district officials to the Capitol Annex for the discussion. House Education Chairman…
This year's version is 89 pages long, plus another separate bill on funding that's a mere eight pages. The aim: Reform Idaho's election system so that all local elections, whether they're for city, county, sewer district, cemetery district, school board or what have you, are…
The Senate has voted 31-3 in favor of SB 1015, which would require the state Fish & Game Department to ask all other 49 states if they want any of Idaho's wolves. "The question is whether we need to kill wolves to protect livestock and…
Lt. Gov. Brad Little, at the close of his budget hearing before JFAC today, was asked by Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, "Do you and Gov. Otter plan on rodeoing at the same time?" Little responded with a chuckle, "He keeps telling me it was the…
Senate Resources Chairman Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, a fur trader, brought a large wolf pelt to the committee hearing today and had it hung prominently on the wall as the committee prepared to hear a briefing on wolves and consider a wolf-transfer bill that Schroeder's proposed.…
Volunteer firefighters from throughout the state are out in front of the Capitol Annex today, for two days of live fire training (starting yesterday), using a fire simulator trailer borrowed from Wendover, Nev., and a chance to tell lawmakers their story. Greg Redden, executive director…
Eight fifth-graders from Post Falls are taking the state Legislature by storm today, making presentations to the education committees in both houses, greeting state Supt. Tom Luna after his budget pitch, and generally livening up the Capitol Annex in their white lab coats and laboratory…
Three hours into a second day of hearings, the House Health & Welfare Committee is still hearing difficult and wrenching stories about the impact on disabled kids and others when their treatment is reduced or cut off. This as the panel has before it rules…
Senators have filed in to join the members of the House in the BSU Special Events Center, where Gov. Butch Otter will soon give his State of the State message to a joint session of the Legislature. While the state Capitol is being renovated, there's…
