It was harder than usual to find a parking spot on the streets near the Capitol for the past two days, the Boise Weekly reports, as the Right Truck for Idaho Coalition parked big rigs and a demonstration trailer containing a truck driving simulator outside…
The House Health & Welfare Committee has a new bill dealing with a health insurance exchange on its agenda for Wednesday morning, sponsored by freshman Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene. Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey reported that the measure is aimed at capturing votes for…
Legislation to make a third-time offense of torture of a companion animal, like a pet cat or dog, a felony has cleared the House Agriculture Committee, with three members objecting in the voice vote. It’s now headed to General Orders in the House, for addition…
Sen. Branden Durst, D-Boise, just announced on Twitter that the Senate Democratic Caucus boycotted today's Idaho School Boards Association legislative luncheon "as a sign of solidarity with voters and teachers." The ISBA introduced three bills this morning to revive parts of voter-rejected Proposition 1 limiting…
When the Idaho Freedom Foundation distributed its “2013 Idaho Report on Government Waste” to every lawmaker, complete with a color drawing of a cigar-smoking pig in sunglasses raking in gambling-table winnings labeled “TAXES” on the cover, it had a little extra tucked inside: A pitch…
Rep. Linden Batemen, R-Idaho Falls, spoke passionately in support of his pro-cursive resolution, HCR 3, before the House voted 68-2 in favor of it this morning. “If we do not teach cursive, the day will come when we will not be able to read cursive…
HB 62, the bill to provide a sales tax exemption to anti-abortion pregnancy resource clinics like Brandi Swindell’s Stanton Healthcare in Boise, has passed the House on a 58-12 vote, with only Democrats opposing the bill. Rep. Kelly Packer, R-McCammon, said she opposes abortion in…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Some Idaho lawmakers say an Indian tribe's historic struggle with alcoholism is reason enough to block it from getting a liquor license for a new $16 million convention center. The Nez Perce tribe…
The House is holding its Lincoln Day program this morning, with its usual calendar of bills to debate delayed for about a half-hour for the ceremony. Here, Scott Yenor, chairman of the Department of Political Science, addresses the House on, “The 13thAmendment and Constitutional Liberty.”…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho representative beaten in the 2012 election is back in the House — not as an elected official, but as a hired hand for the Republican caucus. Former Republican Rep. Julie…
The House Education Committee introduced three new bills from the Idaho School Boards Association this morning, all with emergency clauses; like the three introduced in Senate Education yesterday, all revive portions of the voter-rejected Proposition 1 that sought to roll back teacher collective bargaining rights.…
During the Idaho State Tax Commission’s budget hearing this morning, Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, questioned the years-long initiative Idaho has been carrying out to add tax auditors to help close the “tax gap” between taxes owed and those collected. Vick said he’s concerned about…
More information emerged this morning in JFAC about the governor’s one-time request for $3 million for a new “Idaho Opportunity Fund” to help secure new jobs, both at existing and new businesses, through funding local community infrastructure projects, like sewer lines and broadband extensions. The…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) ― A House Committee has agreed to debate a resolution urging the federal government to take steps to clean up networks of trails damaged by years of wildfires in a wilderness area in eastern…
Lewiston Tribune reporter Bill Spence reports that when Brian Ness was hired to run the ITD in 2010, he promised never to ask for more money until he could prove it would be spent wisely. Now, Ness says that day has come, Spence reports: After…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
