The fight between the Idaho Republican Party and the state over whether the state's primary elections can be closed to all but registered party members - Idaho has no official party registration - arrived in federal court in Boise for arguments on Wednesday. Click below…
Idaho’s state Tax Commission would be required to hold additional hearings on the controversial secret tax deals a whistleblower exposed last spring and submit annual reports on them to the governor and state Legislature, under legislation a Senate committee unveiled this afternoon. “We’re still awaiting…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the stimulus-mouse flap, and here's a statement from Brad Hoaglun, Sen. Jim Risch's spokesman:"The reality is the stimulus bill is so large and pushed through so fast that no one really knows conclusively what will…
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office says there is no truth to Idaho Sen. Jim Risch's contention today that the federal stimulus package contains $50 million to save the "red-breasted harvest mouse" in Pelosi's California district. Drew Hammill, spokesman for Pelosi, called the story about the…
Avista Corp. and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission brought legislation today to allow utilities to voluntarily provide assistance to struggling low-income customers, and seek approval from the PUC to adjust their rates to cover the cost. "The need is urgent - it's real," Neil Colwell,…
It took a bit of explaining, but the Senate State Affairs Committee signed on this morning to a House-passed resolution rejecting a rule from the state Lottery Commission that operators of the Coeur d'Alene Greyhound Park say would force them to shut down their three-day-a-week…
Here's a news item from AP: 'Idaho state government retirees would be moved to private insurance plans according to a measure that cleared a House committee where a similar bill stalled a year ago. The Department of Administration made several changes to the bill including…
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, addressing the Idaho Senate today where he once presided as lieutenant governor and as president pro-tem, hauled out the actual printout of the congressional stimulus bill - all 1,100 pages of it - and slapped it on the lectern. "If you…
House Appropriations Chairwoman Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, just commented, "It seems like all the air's gone out of our balloon." The panel, which wrapped up its agency budget hearings this morning and began hearing from chairs of germane committees on their budget recommendations, normally would move…
Blake Hall, administrator of the state Catastrophic Fund, which helps counties cover medical costs for indigents by covering the bills beyond $10,000 per case, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning that the fund is $2.5 million short for the rest of this fiscal year,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
