The Senate has voted unanimously, 32-0, in favor of SB 1331, Sen Dean Cameron's bill to reverse the portion of last year's "Students Come First" school reform law that requires cuts each year in the teacher salary funds that the state sends out to school…
Jim Rice of Caldwell has been appointed by Gov. Butch Otter to replace former Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, who resigned last week amid allegations of sexual harassment against a female Senate staffer. Rice, 46, is a Caldwell attorney who announced last month that he planned…
The House Resources Committee had a lengthy hearing this afternoon on legislation to exempt members of the military and veterans from state hunter-ed requirements to get a hunting license. Backers included several military members, along with Reps. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, and Lynn Luker, R-Boise, the…
Here's a link to my full story at spokesman.com on the $35.7 million tax cut for Idaho's top earners that's roaring through the Idaho Legislature, backed by Gov. Butch Otter and co-sponsored by a majority of the members of the Idaho House; the bill passed…
In the 49-20 House vote in favor of HB 563, the $35.7 million tax-cut bill for top earners, eight House Republicans joined all but one House Democrat in opposing the bill; Democrat Elfreda Higgins of Garden City missed the vote. The eight Republicans were Reps.…
House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, in his closing debate on the tax-cut bill, HB 563, said, "This is probably the best economic development bill you're going to look at this year, guys." The bill then passed on a 49-20 vote; it now moves to…
Some comments from the House debate on HB 563, the tax cut bill: Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, said, "When we take tax dollars from people and we take more than we can actually use, we're saying we can use it more than you do."…
The House is back debating HB 563, the bill to cut top individual income and corporate income tax rates permanently by $35.7 million. "This is not a bad bill, but it is a premature bill," said Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley. Wood, a member of the…
The House was in mid-debate on the big tax-cut bill when Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, abruptly called for a lunch break; the House has now recessed until 1:30. Rep. JoAn Wood, R-Rigby, announced that the House Ways & Means Committee will meet at 1:15.
The House has opened debate on the tax-cut bill, HB 563, which lowers top individual income tax rates and the corporate tax rate. "This sends a very clear message," said House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star. "This is not our money, this is money we…
The Senate has voted 19-14 in favor of SB 1317a, which would permit remaining unused bonding authority in the GARVEE bonding program for certain major highway projects to also be used to address a huge statewide backlog of bridge work. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck…
A very divided voice vote left House Speaker Lawerence Denney in doubt on Rep. Janice McGeachin's motion to pull the bill banning use of tanning beds by minors back to committee, so he called for a roll call; the motion then passed 42-26. McGeachin, R-Idaho…
A last-minute email from Wayne Hoffman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation is being cited as a reason to derail the House's debate this morning on HB 486a, Rep. John Rusche's bill to ban minors from using tanning beds because of their high risk of deadly…
The Senate has voted in favor of HJM 104, Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll's non-binding memorial opposing a national HHS rule regarding contraceptive coverage, on a divided voice vote. Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, said if religious organizations have to offer such coverage in health insurance for their employees, religious…
Budgets for the state Department of Lands and the Idaho Department of Water Resources were set by JFAC this morning on unanimous, 20-0 votes. The Lands budget includes an 8.6 percent increase in state general funds and 5.5 percent in total funds, with the general-fund…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A measure aimed at allowing private schools to field teams for state and district athletic events is headed to its final hurdle in the Idaho Legislature. The House Education Committee signed off on…
House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, introduced legislation yesterday to authorize the state Department of Administration to use money saved by refinancing state-owned buildings to build a new parking garage near the Capitol, Times-News reporter Melissa Davlin reports today; you can read her full…
Legislative budget writers have approved a legislative intent clause for the Division of Veterans Services budget for next year that asks the division, working with the legislative and executive branches, to analyze why a fund balance of more than $30 million has grown and how…
Legislative budget writers have approved a Division of Veterans Services budget for next year that includes a $110,000 funding boost to help get a state suicide prevention hotline back up and running. The budget, proposed by Reps. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, and George Eskridge, R-Dover, both…
JFAC has voted unanimously, 19-0, this morning to set a budget for the first division of the huge Department of Health & Welfare to come up for budget-setting; it's the indirect support services division. Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, and Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, crafted a…
GOP lawmakers from far-flung parts of the state are trying to figure out how, or if, they can participate in their local county presidential caucuses next Tuesday; some simply won't be able to. At the early-morning JFAC work session today, the joint committee members discussed…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
