Nez Perce agreement heads to full Senate

There was just one “no” vote, from Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, as the Senate State Affairs Committee voted this morning to approve the landmark Nez Perce Water Rights Agreement. The pact now heads to the full Senate. If it passes there, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne has promised to sign it into law. To take effect, the agreement, already approved by Congress and the president, needs approval from the state and the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee by March 31.