Despite vocal opposition from sportsmen's groups, a House committee voted Monday to lift an import restriction on domestic elk, reports Bill Spence of the Lewiston Tribune. The restriction was imposed in 2003 because of concerns about meningeal worm, a parasite that can have a devastating…
Here’s a link to my full story at spokesman.com on how sweeping legislation to remove Idaho’s sales tax from groceries, lower top income tax rates and raise the gas tax went down to unanimous defeat in the Idaho Senate on Tuesday, just a day after…
The Senate has voted 30-5 in favor of HB 301, the concealed-carry gun law, sending the House-passed measure to Gov. Butch Otter. The bill reorganizes Idaho’s concealed-carry laws, says permits aren’t required for concealed weapons outside city limits, and leaves in an elected-official exemption that...
Three Idaho interfaith groups have released a statement condemning last week’s luncheon in a Statehouse meeting room, organized by state Rep. Vito Barbieri, that featured a speaker on “The True Face of Islam,” suggesting Muslims are trying to infiltrate and take over conservative western regions...
By unanimous consent, the Senate has just agreed to return HB 311, the big House-passed tax bill, to the Senate Transportation Committee to die. “It appears that the majority of the Idaho Senate is not inclined to or will support the legislation,” Senate Majority Leader…
Backers of redesigning Idaho’s Medicaid program – and saving the state $173 million – rallied on the Capitol steps over the noon hour today. The “Close the Gap Coalition,” including health care providers, members of Gov. Butch Otter’s Medicaid Redesign Work Group, health advocates and…
The House has voted 50-19 in favor legislation for a new $2 million presidential primary election on the second Tuesday of March, over objections from Democrats, and a handful of Republicans, who said the political parties – not the state – should pay for that....
After hearing testimony both for and against, the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee has killed HB 286, the bill to expand a program that allows county commissioners to give property tax breaks for business expansions, on a 5-4 vote. The bill, HB 286, was…
Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise, says the Senate could suspend its rules and take up HB 311, the tax bill, as soon as this afternoon. “If not, no later than tomorrow,” he said. Both the Senate and the House go back into session…
On a 7-2 vote, the Senate Transportation Committee has agreed to send HB 311, the House-passed tax bill, to the full Senate with no recommendation. Only Sens. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Lori DenHartog, R-Meridian, dissented; both said they didn’t want to rush a decision…
Giving his closing comments after the public testimony, House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, said, “Karen brought up the concern about education. You know, my wife teaches school. I have a child in the school system. Do you really think I want to do something…
Among those testifying this afternoon at the Senate Transportation Committee hearing on HB 311: Wayne Hoffman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation said the bill includes “some terrific reforms in our state tax policy,” and said, “It would provide meaningful tax relief across Idaho.” Sen. Bob...
“We’re trying to keep the cities and counties whole while at the same time providing a little tax relief for the citizens, and at the same time providing some money for roads,” House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, told the Senate Transportation Committee, introducing HB…
There's a very full house for the Senate Transportation Committee meeting this afternoon, at which the agenda includes HB 311, the big House-passed tax bill.
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State officials say the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has granted Idaho an extension to comply with the federal Real ID Act. The Idaho Transportation Department in a statement Tuesday says the extension…
HJM 4, the non-binding measure that the House passed on a 44-25 vote calling for the impeachment of federal judges who rule in favor of same-sex marriage, won’t get a hearing in the Senate, meaning it’s dead for the session, reports Melissa Davlin of Idaho…
The Senate Transportation Committee has scheduled HB 311, the big tax bill that the House passed yesterday, for a hearing at 1 p.m. today in room ww53. Idaho Public TV reporter Melissa Davlin reports that she ran into a grinning Sen. Jeff Siddoway, R-Terreton, in…
Private health care providers cannot sue to force states to raise their Medicaid reimbursement rates to keep up with rising medical costs, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today, siding with the state of Idaho in a 2009 lawsuit. In a 5-4 decision the broke across...
The House has voted 59-10 in favor of SB 1071a, to require Idaho high school graduates to pass the same civics test that immigrants must pass to become citizens of the United States. “Jay Leno went out and asked people, who’s president of the United…
It’s been 13 years since a non-binding memorial in the Idaho Legislature caused an international incident, but lawmakers have quickly reworked a memorial about human rights and religious freedom in Turkey after hearing concerns from the Turkish consulate. “We just changed some language,” said Rep.…
The House State Affairs Committee has killed HB 315, legislation to repeal the remaining laws about the Idaho Education Network, and replace it with two new working groups tasked to explore broadband opportunities both for education and, separately, for state government. Only two members of…
HB 155, the measure from Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, to significantly increase fines for violations of the Idaho Open Meeting Law, has passed the Senate on a 33-2 vote. Senators amended the bill to clarify a section about repeat offenses and to recognize the…
After the House passed three bills on transportation and taxes today, HB 310, 311 and 312, the Senate has assigned all three to the Senate Transportation Committee – including HB 311, the measure that would eliminate the sales tax on groceries, do away with the…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A plan to help school districts crack down on bullying in Idaho's public schools is on its way to the governor's desk. The Idaho Senate passed the bill 24-10 on Monday. The bill…
After a lengthy hearing that stretched into the evening, the House State Affairs Committee has split, 8-8, on SB 1146a, the bill to legalize a non-psychotropic extract from cannabis to treat Idaho children with an intractable form of epilepsy. The hearing was initially scheduled for…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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