Bill boosts property exemption

The Idaho House voted to boost the amount homeowners can exempt from their assessed property value to $75,000, a move that could save most Idaho homeowners money on their property taxes next year.

The Senate and Gov. Dirk Kempthorne still must sign off on the measure for it to become law.

The bill also lets homeowners include the value of their land in the exemption.

Sex offenders: Two bills to stiffen penalties against sex offenders won unanimous state Senate approval Monday. Lawmakers supported a plan to boost minimum prison terms for repeat sex offenders to 15 years and to boost the minimum sentence for repeat violent sex offenders to life in prison.

Additionally, senators favored eliminating leeway for judges to reduce felony sex crimes to misdemeanors after a defendant has been convicted or pleaded guilty to a crime that requires sex-offender registration. The House approved lifting the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse to give victims more time to deal emotionally with the trauma.

Indian casinos: Legislative efforts to undermine a voter-approved ballot measure authorizing Native American casinos in Idaho drew an angry rebuke Monday from tribal leaders. The proposal was rejected days later by a legislative committee.

“This measure is a direct challenge to the ability of Indian tribes within the state of Idaho to conduct gaming operations on their own land and secure their own economic future,” said Chief Allan, chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

Campaign spending: The House unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that would restrict personal use of campaign funds.

The measure coincides with federal law changes and prohibits the use of campaign money for expenses incurred regardless of a campaign or an elected official’s duties. Vacations, meals, auto expenses and country club memberships couldn’t be paid using campaign funds.

From staff and wire reports