State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna says he's made just two changes to his school reform plan since a public hearing two weeks ago that drew a huge outpouring of public input against the plan. The two changes both are in the requirement for online…
The second bill in state Schools Supt. Tom Luna's reform plan also was introduced on a party-line vote in the Senate Education Committee. "I know we're looking forward to some good debate on this next week," said Sen. Dean Mortimer as he moved to introduce…
Under the second bill in state schools Supt. Tom Luna's school reform plan, class sizes would increase in grades 4-12, and high school students would be required to take online courses; when they do, the school district would lose two-thirds of the funding for that…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has named former state Rep. John Tippets, R-Bennington, to the Senate seat that opened up when former Sen. Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, was named chairman of the state Tax Commission. Click below to read Otter's full announcement.
Jason Hancock, aide to state schools Supt. Tom Luna, has begun presenting the second bill in Luna's school reform package, which stretches for 61 pages and includes increasing class sizes throughout the state and eliminating hundreds of teaching jobs.
The first bill for Supt. Tom Luna's school reform plan has been introduced on a straight party-line vote, with the two minority Democrats on the Senate Education Committee, Sens. Edgar Malepeai of Pocatello and Nicole LeFavour of Boise, voting no. Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, made…
Two big bills making up State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna's sweeping reform plan are being presented to the Senate Education Committee this afternoon for introduction. Luna aide Jason Hancock, who is presenting the first bill, making changes in labor conditions from eliminating tenure for…
A new version of a tribal policing bill to replace HB 33 was introduced today on a unanimous vote in the House Judiciary Committee; it's mostly similar to the earlier measure, but makes a couple of changes suggested by the Idaho Sheriff's Association and a…
Last Friday, the governor, Senate president pro-tem and House speaker sent out a letter anticipating a budget shortfall next year of as much as $185 million, including the $35 million in cuts that Gov. Butch Otter already had proposed. Now, that figure is shrinking quickly.…
Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, proposed legislation today to require community college trustee elections to be done by district, rather than at-large - which would change the way elections now work for all three of Idaho's community colleges, North Idaho College, the College of Western…
The House State Affairs Committee has voted unanimously to reject legislation from Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, to sell off Idaho's governor's mansion and shift the money to state parks. Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, said at some point a North Idaho resident will be elected…
As Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, came before the House State Affairs Committee this morning to pitch his bill to sell Idaho's unoccupied governor's mansion and shift funds to the state park system, committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, told him, "Good morning - I didn't know…
The Idaho Chamber Alliance proposed legislation this morning for a new refundable tax credit for new jobs, at 4 percent of gross wages. But amid questions in the House Rev & Tax Committee, the bill was held for fixes. The statement of purpose said the…
The first year of a four-year, phased-in tax compliance initiative doubled its goal, state Tax Commissioner David Langhorst told JFAC this morning. In fiscal year 2010, $1.5 million in budget stabilization funds was spent to hire 41 temporary staff in audits and collections, with a…
At the state Tax Commission, "voluntary compliance" means people pay their taxes as required by law, without the commission having to go after them through audits, collections and enforcement to get them to pay up. In 2010, the state collected $2.78 billion through that "voluntary…
Former Idaho Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes is making his first budget presentation to JFAC as the new chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission. "As you can imagine, I have one foot in the future and that other foot still hanging on to the…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
