Under the governor's new vehicle registration fee bill, after three years, owners of new cars would pay 37.5 percent more than they do now in annual registration fees, while owners of the oldest cars - those more than eight years old - would pay 75 percent more. Both increases are identical dollar amounts, $18. Owners of heavy trucks have just 5 percent fee increases in the bill, though the governor promises a task force to look into whether that should change.

House Assistant Minority Leader James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, questioned Jason Kreizenbeck, the governor's chief of staff, repeatedly about the truck part of the issue. He said he'd been hearing arguments that Idaho shouldn't raise its truck registration fees because that would drive truckers to register in other states, but had recently learned that's not the case, because under an interstate compact, interstate truckers pay registration fees proportionally based on the number of miles they travel in each state, regardless of where they're registered. "I think your characterization is accurate," Kreizenbeck responded.

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