House Speaker Lawerence Denney says he's appointed an ethics committee to look into a complaint filed by Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, about the conduct of Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, including Hart's 1996 theft of timber from school endowment land for use in building his…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the outcome of leadership contests in all four legislative caucuses tonight. There was no change in the House GOP caucus, where Speaker Lawerence Denney and Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke were unopposed, while Majority Leader…
Senate Minority Caucus leadership decisions are in, and there's a shake-up: Sen. Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, is the new minority leader. The Assistant Minority Leader is Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise; and the caucus chair is Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum.
Senate Republican leadership elections are done, and the new Senate President Pro-Tem is Sen. Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, who defeated Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian. Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, held his seat as majority leader over a challenge from Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton. But there was…
All four caucuses of the Legislature - both houses and both parties - are meeting behind closed doors tonight to select their leadership for the upcoming session. First to report results is the House minority caucus, in which Minority Leader John Rusche, who was unopposed,…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on today's Idaho Supreme Court decision tossing out Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's constitutional challenge that charged that the state Land Board set rents for state-owned cabin sites too low, and Wasden's announcement that, based on the…
The final speakers at the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho conference today were two members of the Legislature's leadership, Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, Senate assistant minority leader, and Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star, House majority leader. Werk said there's "no free lunch," but the public apparently believes…
The Lewiston Tribune reports that another 12 Korean-manufactured modules have arrived at the Port of Lewiston, as part of Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil's plans to send 207 huge loads across U.S. Highway 12 through Idaho and Montana and up to Canada over the next year, though those…
Shoshone County Commissioner Jon Cantamessa was sharing his county's moves to cope with declining revenue, from freezing employee salaries to turning off lights to re-bidding health insurance contracts to avoid big cost increases, when he added this: "I do have one thing I want to…
Brent Reinke, Idaho state prisons chief, as he opened his presentation to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho today, said Idahoans may be wondering, "What about this violence story? What's happening here?" He said he'd be glad to speak with any legislator who's been contacted by…
Jody Olson, chairman of the PERSI board, told the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho, "PERSI is not like Social Security, and it's not going broke. ... It is sustainable for the future." For a public employee retirement system to be 80 percent funded is considered "excellent,"…
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, has decided to give up his coveted seat on the Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee after five years to focus on economic development legislation in the coming session. "My background is economic development, it is business management," said Henderson, a fourth-term…
Lt. Gov. Brad Little said his luncheon address to the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho today is on "the good, the bad and the ugly" - it's about the outlook for the upcoming legislative session. "Additional tough choices are going to be required," Little told the…
Hundreds of state lawmakers, local officials, lobbyists, business people and others are gathered for the annual Associated Taxpayers of Idaho conference today, which will feature Lt. Gov. Brad Little as the luncheon speaker on Idaho's priorities as the 2011 legislative session and the new budget…
Two prominent Idaho lobbying firms are merging: Sullivan & Reberger is merging with Eiguren Public Policy, and the new firm, Sullivan Reberger Eiguren, will represent the clients of both firms. Sullivan & Reberger is Pat Sullivan and Phil Reberger, while Eiguren Public Policy is Roy…
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden issued this statement following the Idaho Supreme Court’s endowment lands cottage site lease decision today:“I appreciate the Court’s consideration of our petition. We knew going in that a writ of prohibition is an extraordinary remedy. Nonetheless, we chose this course…
The Idaho Supreme Court, in a 3-2 ruling today, has granted the state's motion to dismiss Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's legal challenge to state-owned cabin site rents, which charged that the state Land Board is violating the Idaho Constitution by not securing the maximum…
Boise schools are closed for a snow day today, with the school district reporting that "the significant amount of snow that fell during the day and evening of November 30 and into the morning hours of December 1 have made for dangerous traveling conditions for…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
