The Senate Education Committee has been holding a hearing this afternoon on HB 205, the House-passed bill to require Idaho public libraries to filter Internet access for adults; the hearing stretched for well over two hours. Numerous questions were raised about the bill, including from…
HB 129, the bill making various changes to Idaho's day-care licensing law, has been sent to the Senate's amending order, after a hearing that stretched for more than two hours this afternoon in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee. "There's a few things that need…
The Idaho Transportation Department has issued a news release saying ExxonMobil submitted plans to it detailing how it now plans to move 60 giant megaloads of oil equipment from Lewiston up Highway 95 to Coeur d'Alene, then east on I-90 to Montana. "The largest shipment…
The Associated Press reports that a spat between Avista Corp. and Kootenai Electric Coooperative is threatening to scuttle a deal between wind industry lobbyists, Idaho Power Co. officials and the governor's office over extension of a renewable energy tax rebate; click below for the full…
Idaho Republican leaders are close to inking a deal that would limit GOP primary elections to the party's registered voters, the AP reports, long a goal of conservatives who suspect crossover voting that's been allowed since 1972 has produced GOP candidates who fail to hew…
House and Senate Democrats have issued a statement criticizing the latest school reform bill as "a repackaging of the same flawed proposals introduced in January, masquerading as 'new and improved.'" They also decried "intimidation tactics being used by bill supporters;" you can read their full…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the passage of anti-abortion legislation in the Idaho Senate today to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy on grounds of fetal pain, despite Idaho attorney general's opinions warning that the bill is likely unconstitutional.…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The federal Environmental Protection Agency says it would likely intervene in how Idaho protects its air quality if the Legislature passes the latest effort to gut auto emissions testing in Canyon County. Rep.…
GOP Gov. Butch Otter's "Hire One Act," providing a tax credit for new hires, has cleared the House on a 60-9 vote. Oddly, opposition to the bill came mainly from House Republicans, while minority Democrats argued in favor of the bill, HB 297. House Majority…
The Senate has announced that it'll take up SB 1184 tomorrow afternoon, which will require a two-thirds vote to suspend rules, as the bill will only have been on second reading that morning. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, said he asked the indulgence…
Southwest Airlines won’t be getting happy passenger testimonials from 15 North Idaho legislators, reports S-R reporter Tom Sowa. Those 15 senators and representatives’ change in travel arrangements, set in motion by Southwest’s recent elimination of one nonstop flight from Boise to Spokane, is forcing the…
Gov. Butch Otter answered questions from reporters today after a bill-signing ceremony for SB 1074, the bill to allow 16-year-olds to donate blood with their parents' permission. He acknowledged that he was hit with lots of questions from citizens during his recent trip to North…
Here's how Idaho senators voted on SB 1165, the 20-week abortion ban, which passed on a 24-10 vote and now heads to the House: Voting in favor: Sens. Bair, Brackett, Cameron, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Fulcher, Goedde, Hammond, Heider, Hill, Lodge, McGee, McKague, McKenzie, Mortimer, Nuxoll,…
The Senate has voted 24-10 in favor of SB 1165, Sen. Chuck Winder's bill to ban all abortions after 20 weeks on grounds of fetal pain, unless it's to save the mother's life or physical health. The measure includes no exception for cases of rape…
Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle, told the Senate, "I've read several attorney general's opinions on this and while my good friend from 21 says we're not causing a problem, the attorney general says that a rapist could file suit over this. I've read the attorney general's…
The Senate is debating SB 1165, Sen. Chuck Winder's bill to ban all abortions after 20 weeks on grounds of fetal pain, unless it's to save the mother's life or physical health. "I think it's worthy of our consideration during a very stressful legislative session,"…
The House Revenue & Taxation Committee has voted 14-4 to hold HB 250, the energy tax rebate extension bill, in committee, in favor of two new bills to be introduced soon, one dealing with the sales tax rebate, including a sunset date and the dates…
Rep. Vito Barbieri has withdrawn HB 278, his bill to have the Legislature set up its own "Office of Legislative Counsel" rather than seek advice from the Idaho Attorney General, and shift funding and staff from the AG's office to accomplish that. "After yesterday's hearing,…
Gov. Butch Otter was questioned - a lot - about the school-reform proposals when he and Lt. Gov. Brad Little were in Sandpoint, Wallace and Bonners Ferry in recent days, Little said this morning. "Most of the questions were about the public education bill -…
Asked if there are any bills so far this session that he would veto - the lieutenant governor is acting governor when the governor is out of state, and gets to sign or veto bills - Lt. Gov. Brad Little said, "Actually I have written…
Lt. Gov. Brad Little, who serves as president of the Senate, was asked this morning about SB 1184, the new school-reform bill that cleared the Senate Education Committee late yesterday. "I think it'll pass," he said. "They traded off the denomination, the number of positions,…
Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little is addressing the Idaho Press Club this morning; answering questions from reporters, Little said he's generally in favor of the closed-primary bill that's in the works, though he would have preferred leaving Idaho's primary election system the way it is.…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
