The Idaho Senate has adjourned for the session at a little after 7 p.m., four hours after the House did the same. Here, Lt. Gov. Brad Little applauds the end of the session, which ran for 81 days. The final hours included tearful goodbyes, speeches,…
The Senate has been saying its goodbyes, including emotional farewells from the longest-serving Idaho senator ever, Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Declo; from Sen. John Andreason, R-Boise; Sen. Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle; Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello; Sen. Shirley McKague, R-Meridian; Sen. Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello; and Sen. Nicole LeFavour,…
"The Senate has completed its business and is about to adjourn sine die," Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said. Committees are being sent to notify the House, which adjourned for the session nearly three hours ago, and the governor.
With no debate or discussion, the Senate has passed HB 698, the teacher salary bill, on a 28-7 party-line vote. That's the House version of the bill to cancel future cuts required by the "Students Come First" reform law in teacher salary funds, in order…
The Senate has voted unanimously, 35-0, in favor of HB 662 to declare the Idaho Guard Youth Challenge program to start a school in Pierce, Idaho a secondary alternative school. The funding for that was defeated in JFAC, however. Backers hope to get state matching…
The Senate has voted 28-7 along party lines in favor of HB 563, the $35.7 million cut in Idaho's corporate and top individual income tax rates; just over 17 percent of Idaho tax filers would benefit. "This is a good way to use that money,"…
Among comments in the tax cut debate so far: Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said, "I guess I would look for a bill at this point in the session that creates jobs, and this one I don't think does. ... I am really sorry to see…
Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Meridian, opening debate on HB 563, the tax-cut bill, said, "I know that some are willing to support increased funding for teacher pay. I know that some want tax relief. I know that some want money put away in…
Now the Senate is moving on to HB 563, the House-passed $35.7 million income tax cut for top earners.
The Senate has adopted proposed new ethics rules in a straight party-line vote, 28-7. In his closing debate, Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis said, "There's a lot that was said in opposition to the bill that I agree with." But he said a public ethics…
Among comments in the Senate debate this afternoon on proposed new ethics rules: Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, who chaired the Senate Ethics Committee this year and helped draft the rules, said, "My heart is broken. ... This I believe is the best we can…
Sen. Elliot Werk, D-Boise, pointed to a clause in the proposed new Senate ethics rule that would make it a violation of the rules of the Senate to disclose "any information that is confidential concerning the preliminary investigation ... or ... the disclosure of any…
Among the debate in the Senate on proposed new Senate ethics rules: Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, said, "People should not be exposed to public embarrassment or ridicule when there is no legal or factual basis for the allegations. .... This bill does strengthen the ethics…
Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, noted that Democrats in the Legislature introduced a package of ethics reforms at the start of the sessino. "The can got kicked down the road, and it looked like nothing was going to happen," he said. "An ethics issue did arise…
The changes to the Senate Ethics Committee process, including make the entire process - including the appointment of the ethics committee - secret until the committee votes that probable cause exists of a violation, are up now in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis,…
The Senate has voted 28-7, in a straight party-line vote, to approve a second change to Senate rules, this one giving the Senate pro-tem sole authority to hire or fire all Senate employees. "I have a lot of trouble with this," said Sen. Michelle Stennett,…
The Senate is now beginning debate on changes in Senate ethics rules. First up: A change to its disclosure rule for conflicts of interest to clarify that it applies both in committee and in the full Senate. "The changes are very few, but I think…
The House has adjourned sine die, despite a chorus of "nays" to the motion. "The House stands adjourned sine die," Speaker Lawerence Denney declared, banging his gavel to loud applause.
The House committee to inform the Senate that the House is preparing to adjourn sine die has arrived in the Senate. "Mr. President, we are pleased to join you," said Rep. Bob Schaefer, R-Nampa, "in fact one of us is wishing to come over next…
The Senate is back in, with nine pieces of legislation on its docket; first up are the three bills that came from JFAC and just passed the House. Also pending are Senate ethics rule changes; the teacher salary bill; the youth challenge bill; and tax…
The Senate Education Committee has voted unanimously in favor of HB 662, the National Guard Youth Challenge bill declaring the proposed Pierce, Idaho school an alternative secondary school - the bill whose funding was defeated yesterday in JFAC. Committee Chairman John Goedde said, "General Sayler,…
House Speaker Lawerence Denney invited all those who will be leaving the House after this year to assemble in the well in front of him; with the huge crowd standing there, he then banged his gavel and asked loudly, "Haven't you learned anything?" House rules…
House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, has thrown in the towel on his $10 milion tax credit bill for private school scholarships; he just asked for unanimous consent to return the bill to the House Education Committee. "In light of HB 670 as amended…
The Senate Education Committee took up SB 698, the salary-based apportionment bill, and immediately passed it, with no discussion. "There's only one condition that I would support this motion, and that is that if Rep. Nonini agrees not to testify," Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, said…
The Senate has recessed to about 2:30 p.m., and the Senate Education Committee is going to meet now. There are two items on its agenda: HB 662, on the National Guard Youth Challenge - for which funding was defeated in JFAC yesterday - and HB…
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