2011 Idaho Legislature, Week 13

The 13th, and final, week of Idaho's 2011 legislative session in pictures

Section:Gallery

Fri., April 8, 2011

Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, presents HB 298, that latest anti-health care reform law after out-and-out "nullification" bills failed, to the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday morning; the bill cleared the panel on a divided voice vote.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Rep. Carlos Bilbao, R-Emmett, presents off-track betting legislation to the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday morning; the committee endorsed the bill on a 5-4 vote.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
House and Senate Democrats hold a press conference Monday to say the "slowdown showdown" is over - they'll no longer force full reading of bills in the House - and call for closing down this year's legislative session before Republicans "can do any more harm."

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
More than 60 people came to an informational hearing called by House Democrats Monday on legislation to raise Idaho's cigarette tax by $1.25 a pack; the minority scheduled its own hearing on the bill after majority Republicans refused to set an official hearing.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
In the hallway of the Senate chamber, empty cardboard boxes are piled up Monday evening - a sure sign that the end of Idaho's 2011 legislative session is approaching. The boxes are for lawmakers and staffers to pack their things in when they leave the Statehouse at the end of the session.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Lt. Gov. Brad Little presides over the Senate on Monday; the Senate voted 27-8 in favor of HB 193a, legislation to make it tougher for people to sue over proposed megaloads on Idaho roads.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
The House Ways & Means Committee considers new legislation on Tuesday to phase in a $402 million cut in personal and corporate income taxes between now and 2019; it was introduced on a straight party-line vote. GOP leaders, who supported introducing the measure, said it won't go any farther than that this year.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
A group of wolf opponents rallies on the Statehouse steps on Wednesday to celebrate House passage a day earlier of HB 343, to declare a disaster emergency in the state due to wolves.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Senate Democrats hold a press conference Wednesday and call this year's legislative session the "worst in memory."

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
This fleece scarf, distributed to House members as they were about to vote on a charter school bill, kicked off an ethics dispute that resulted in a vote to lay the bill on the table, dropping its progress.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
House leaders from both parties huddle after Democrats objected to the distribution of free logo scarves commemorating "National School Choice Day" on Wednesday shortly before a vote on legislation to lift the state's cap on creation of new charter schools; the move prompted the bill to be tabled on ethics grounds.

Ap Photo John Miller
House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, after successfully presenting HB 348, a key piece of this year's energy policy compromise, to the Senate State Affairs Committee on Thursday morning. "The smile's because it's the last day," he said.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Lt. Gov. Brad Little presides over the Senate as it moves toward adjourning sine die on the final day of the legislative session Thursday.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley, visits with Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell, and Speaker Lawerence Denney during the House's lunch break on Thursday, with boxes piled up outside the chamber in anticipation of adjournment, which could still be several hours away.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, center, visits with other senators shortly after the Senate adjourned for the year on Thursday.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Members of the Idaho House applaud after the gavel fell on the 2011 session for the final time on Thursday afternoon.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Gov. Butch Otter, flanked by state schools Supt. Tom Luna, left, and Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, right, hails this year's school reform bills before signing the third major one, SB 1184, into law on Friday.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, center, accepts petitions Friday from Mike Lanza, center right, to launch a referendum drive to overturn SB 1184, the third school-reform bill; paperwork already has been approved to attempt a challenge to the two earlier school reform bills in the same manner.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review
House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, right, decries a "Legislature run amok" as he reflects Friday on this year's legislative session; at center is Minority Caucus Chair Brian Cronin, D-Boise; at left is Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise.

Betsy Russell The Spokesman-Review