Minnick to forgo earmarks
Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick says he's not going to seek any earmarks for Idaho in the federal budget for the coming year; click below to read his letter saying why not.
Eye On Boise archive for April 1, 2009
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2009
Otter proposes budget compromise
Gov. Butch Otter has proposed a budget compromise to lawmakers that eliminates the 3 percent across-the-board pay cut for state employees in favor of leaving more latitude to state agency directors on how to handle cuts, and reduces the proposed 5 percent statewide cut in…
April foolery in the House...
At the close of the House session today, Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, rose to announce that he'd discovered where the fines go for violations of the Idaho Open Meeting Law: "It goes to the press party fund," Harwood said. Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, responded,…
Open meeting law revision passes the House
The House has voted 59-10 in favor of SB 1142, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's bill to revise the Idaho Open Meeting Law. Rep. Lenore Hardy Barrett, R-Challis, who opposed the bill, told the House, "I think the press needs to be wherever they want…
Of garbage cans and 'social massage'...
The Senate has voted 31-4 in favor of the much-amended Fish & Game fee increase bill, after a rather odd debate. Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, opened the debate by saying, "I think we could go to the 14th Order one more time before this bill…
Senate to suspend rules, vote on Fish & Game fees
Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, offering a "road map" to senators on how the day's business will go, said the plan is to suspend rules and take up the amended bill to raise Fish & Game fees, before taking up the other bills pending today…
House delays appropriations
Debate on the first appropriation bill in the House, the one for the legislative council, got bogged down this morning when several representatives raised concerns about the inclusion of a 3 percent across-the-board pay cut for state employees. House Commerce Chairman Bob Schaefer, R-Nampa, said…
Redistricting measure introduced
Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, introduced legislation this morning to make a few changes in the rules for Idaho's redistricting commission, which draws new legislative and congressional district lines each decade after the new census. The main changes are to elevate the importance…
A bit of irony on April Fools Day...
Back to back, the Senate State Affairs Committee this morning passed two resolutions - one that the sponsor said tells the federal government to stop "enticing" the state with money, and one that asks the federal government to send money to Idaho to start an…
'It's going to force a serious conversation'
Here’s a link to my full story in today’s Spokesman-Review on what happened in the House yesterday, when hours of debate failed to expand a tiny 2-cent gas tax increase bill. Said Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, “It’s going to force a serious conversation, so…
House Dems close caucus, bar Popkey
Eight years after House Democrats opened their caucuses – while majority Republican caucuses remained closed – they held a closed caucus Tuesday on fuel taxes, barring Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey from entry. The Dems had asked for a five-minute recess during the fuel tax…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.