The Senate Education Committee has voted unanimously in favor of HB 544, the bill to create a higher education stabilization fund, into which the state would deposit money in good times to help out state colleges and universities during downturns. There's not much money to…
Wayne Hammon, Gov. Butch Otter's budget chief and acting human resources director, met this afternoon with the co-sponsors of HB 604, a pending bill to ban early-retirement bonuses designed to get state employees to retire early, along with a House committee chairman, and agreed to…
HB 493, the education 'mastery' bill, has cleared the Senate Education Committee on a 7-1 vote, and now moves to the full Senate. "I've been looking for downsides, and I don't see it," said Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian. "We don't see too many bills that…
Reps. Steven Thayn, R-Emmett, and Branden Durst, D-Boise, are presenting their education "mastery" pilot project bill, HB 493, to the Senate Education Committee. Midway through the presentation, senators called on state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna, who was in the audience, to answer some questions…
Proposed legislation to give retroactive tax breaks to victims of Ponzi schemes is dead, after the House Revenue and Taxation Committee's chairman determined his committee wouldn't support the bill. Senate Tax Chairman Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, had proposed the bill, HB 595, to let victims write…
Two anti-union bills were introduced this morning in the Senate State Affairs Committee, both seeking to strengthen Idaho's "Right to Work" act that already bans requiring union membership as a condition of employment. One, from Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, is dubbed the "Fairness in…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press:BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Senate has voted to make running a cockfighting operation a felony. After passing 34-1 Monday, the bill, SB 1317, goes to the House. If it becomes law, those found guilty face five…
Legislation from House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, to require voters to show a photo I.D. in order to vote has cleared the House on a 64-6 vote, after a vigorous debate, and now moves to the Senate. Moyle said, "The right to vote in…
Currently, the only qualifications to serve as an elected coroner in Idaho are to be a resident and to be 21 years old. HB 492, which passed the House today on a 47-23 vote, would tack a $1 fee onto copies of certified death certificates…
Nearly 100 paintings are on display in the 4th floor rotunda of the Capitol, as part of the Idaho Watercolor Society's 26th annual Capitol art show. All are original paintings in watercolor, acrylic or water media; most are for sale. The watercolor show runs today…
Idaho Statesman reporter Cynthia Sewell had an extensive report in Sunday's paper about Gov. Butch Otter's dollar-a-year director of the state Department of Adminstration, Mike Gwartney - also Otter's best friend - and how his actions have aroused displeasure from state legislators and from an…
Gov. Butch Otter now says he's prepared to co-sponsor legislation to ban purchases of additional retirement service for state employees to get them to retire early - a practice that resulted in $125,000 in such state expenditures in 2009, including $72,781 for a single employee.…
Here is the proposed intent language for the public school budget for next year that's being circulated to lawmakers in advance of Wednesday's vote in JFAC on the budget, including proposed statutory changes that are being considered by the House and Senate education committee chairmen.…
Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, told members of the joint committee this morning that, with the delay in setting the public school budget, "This will give you ample time to look at the intent language that goes with the public…
JFAC has delayed the setting of the public school budget - which had been scheduled for this morning - likely to Wednesday. "House leadership asked for some additional time to review the language, so we'll do it on Wednesday," said Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron,…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
