On tonight's “Idaho Reports” on Idaho Public TV, I join host Greg Hahn, Jim Weatherby, Anne Wallace Allen and David Adler to discuss the events of the week, from ethics to education reform. Greg also interviews Reps. Scott Bedke and Wendy Jaquet and Sen. Chuck…
Idaho State Schools Supt. Tom Luna wants to change state laws so that anyone who's at least 25 and has a bachelor's degree could be superintendent of an Idaho school district, the AP reports. "This will give local school boards the flexibility to hire the…
Idaho State Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, rose in the House yesterday to apologize to his colleagues for his ethics problems, a day before he was scheduled to go, once again, before the House Ethics Committee. This morning, that panel voted to drop an ethics complaint…
In letters sent to the House and Senate education committee chairs and Health & Welfare committee chairs, the co-chairs of the Legislature's joint budget committee are warning that much bigger budget cuts than have been anticipated could have to be made in public schools and…
The Senate has voted 25-8 in favor of SB 1007, an anti-union measure pushed by Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, sending the measure to the House. It's the second of two bills targeting unions, co-sponsored by nine GOP legislators, in part because lawmakers were upset…
Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, vice-chair of the House Ethics Committee, confirmed that the panel was about to send a recommendation to the full House to remove Hart from his committee vice-chairmanship, in response to an ethics complaint, when Hart offered to give up the vice-chairmanship…
Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, said he's happy with the House Ethics Committee's work. Anderson filed the complaint against Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, charging that Hart violated his oath of office; after that, Hart supporter Larry Spencer, a North Idaho activist, filed an ethics complaint…
The Senate has voted unanimously to confirm its former president pro-tem, Bob Geddes, as the new chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission. "Everyone in this body knows Bob Geddes," new Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said. "We know his leadership style, his management abilities, his…
Here's a link to our full story at spokesman.com on the House Ethics Committee action today, in which it dismissed an ethics complaint against Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, in exchange for Hart voluntarily giving up his vice-chairmanship of House committee. "I don't have a pristine…
The House has voted 65-0 in favor of the IRS conformity bill, sending it on to the Senate side.
The House has suspended its rules to take up the IRS conformity bill that cleared the House Rev & Tax Committee yesterday, the measure that has a $20 million fiscal impact on the state over the next two years - not the $70 million that…
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said his decision to voluntarily step down as vice-chairman of the House Transportation Committee - in an effort to avoid an ethics vote removing him from the post - was the right step to take, a day after he apologized to…
Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, moved that no further action be taken against Rep. Phil Hart by the House Ethics Committee, and the complaints are now considered resolved by the committee. "I believe what we've observed here today on Rep. Hart has just been a…
Rep. Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, questioned Rep. Phil Hart as to whether he was "accepting as part of the responsibility for your actions" that he'd step down from his vice-chairmanship, or whether he just wanted the committee to take no action against him because he…
Rep. Phil Hart said he hoped his offer to step down as transportation committee vice chairman could "end it right here this morning," saying he preferred that his ethics case not be debated on the floor of the House.
Lawmakers on the House Ethics Committee said Hart made a statement on the House floor yesterday about his ethics issues. "I listened to your mea culpa on the floor yesterday," Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, told Hart. "You did say, and I was glad to hear…
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, said of his ethics problems, "It's been a learning process. The part of this that I drug out through my actions, I apologize for that."
Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, told the House Ethics Committee that he feels like he's become an unwilling expert on House Rule 76, the ethics rule. He said he's concerned about "a fourth complaint that I know is being prepared." Said Hart, "I'm concerned about my…
Rep. Vito Barbieri, an attorney who's not licensed in Idaho, is addressing the House Ethics Committee, saying he wants to offer legal perspective. "We're certain that there are going to be other complaints filed against Rep. Hart," he said. "We know there are future complaints…
Rep. Dell Raybould moved to dismiss a complaint from Larry Spencer against Rep. Eric Anderson. "I would move that the committee dismiss this complaint as having been unfounded and a frivolous complaint against Rep. Anderson," Raybould said. The motion passed unanimously. Then, Rep. Bill Killen…
Rep. Phil Hart has arrived at the House Ethics Committee, accompanied by Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens.
The House Ethics Committee is now ready to reconvene, but is waiting for Rep. Phil Hart to arrive, according to Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona. "Just so you know, Rep. Hart wants to be here and it'll take him just a minute," Loertscher said.
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State lawmakers have opened the door to an end-of-life debate this session with legislation to ban assisted suicide in Idaho. Republican Sen. Russ Fulcher introduced a bill Friday that would make it a…
The House Ethics Committee has come out of executive session after nearly a full hour. Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, said panel members need a break, so they're going to go at ease for about 10 minutes. "We will take up in open session at 10…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Department of Correction director wants to hike some fees on convicted criminals, saying they should bear more of the burden of their punishment. Director Brent Reinke introduced three proposals to Joint…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
