The Senate has voted 33-2 in favor of HB 1, the revised child support enforcement bill, sending the measure to the governor’s desk and wrapping up the business of today’s special session of the Idaho Legislature after a bit more than 11 hours, without a...
As the Senate continued debating HB 1, the child support enforcement bill this evening, Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, gave lengthy and heartfelt remarks. He was followed by Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, who praised senators for how they’ve approached the issue,...
Gov. Butch Otter has delayed the press conference he’d planned for 30 minutes after today’s special session to tomorrow at 11:30, due to the session’s length. Meanwhile, the Senate is debating the bill, HB 1, on child support enforcement. From the debate: Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll,...
“There’s a long version to this and a short version, and today’s proceedings have worn me out, and I’m only capable of doing the short version,” Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, told the Senate as he presented HB 1, the child support enforcement bill. The bill,...
The Senate has now convened, with just one item on its agenda: HB 1, the House-passed child support enforcement bill.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted unanimously in favor of HB 1, sending it to the full Senate for a vote. Sen. Maryanne Jordan, D-Boise, made the motion, and Sen. Dan Johnson, R-Lewiston, seconded the motion. Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, said, “I have grappled...
The Senate has convened and received HB 1, the child support enforcement bill, from the House, given it its first reading, and sent it straight to the Senate Judiciary Committee. That committee's chair, Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, announced that her committee would meet in...
The House has passed HB 1, the child support enforcement bill, on a 49-21 vote.
From today’s House debate on HB 1, the child support enforcement bill: House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, said, “I want to thank the nine that stood up and said ‘no.’ Quite frankly, everyone that’s talked today says that we have a better deal because...
Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, told the House, “There’s a lot of questions I still have on this bill. … I believe we’d lose the due process to our citizens in the court. … I don’t like it when I’m told you need to make a...
Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, said, “I think we need to be concerned about the ramifications. … Legislative authority is being addressed. Administrative law, our tri-partite balance of power, checks and balance … and indeed state sovereignty.” He asked fellow representatives to imagine the bill...
From the House debate on HB 1, the child support enforcement bill: House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, said, “I’m glad the House has a chance for a do-over, and I support this bill. … So thank you to all who vote today for HB…
Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, told the House that at the end of this year’s regular legislative session, he had concerns about the child support enforcement bill, but his concerns have been put to rest by amendments to the bill that he helped craft. Luker went...
House Judiciary Chairman Rich Wills, R-Glenns Ferry, told the House that the child support enforcement bill is “so we can find those people who aren’t paying,” even if they try to flee to another country. The child support enforcement system has long been in place,…
The House is back in session to take up HB 1, the child support enforcement bill. In the vote to suspend rules and allow immediate consideration, there were no objections; it passed 69-0. "Let's not debate the motives of the individual members, their patriotism, their…
The House Judiciary Committee has voted 12-5 in favor of HB 1, with just Reps. McMillan, Sims, Cheatham, Nate and Scott dissenting. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, said, “I will not be supporting this bill. Director Armstrong said this is all about efficiency, so that’s it.…
As the House Judiciary Committee reconvened, Rep. Don Cheatham, R-Post Falls, attempted to make a motion to add definitions for two terms in the child support enforcement bill; that move was rejected, as committees don’t amend bills. Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene, then moved to…
After a 10-minute break - following more than four and a half hours of intense hearing - the House committee will vote on HB 1.
Public testimony has now wrapped up on HB 1, the child support enforcement bill. A full three dozen people testified in the four-hour hearing, roughly evenly split between backers and opponents of the bill. Health & Welfare Director Dick Armstrong and Deputy Attorney General Scott Keim are now answering some questions from the committee.
In continued testimony on HB 1, the child support enforcement bill: Stephanie Wierschem of Kuna told lawmakers it was the first time she was publicly sharing her story. Her ex-husband was on the FBI’s 10 most-wanted deadbeat dads list. “He owed over $100,000 to my...
When Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, asked to ask another question of someone testifying – she’s had many today – Chairwoman Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, noted the hour – long into the noon hour – and said, “They’re going to just give us bread and water…
Brent Regan, a former Coeur d’Alene school board member and vice-chairman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation who’s filling in as a substitute senator for Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, testified at length against HB 1, responding to numerous questions from lawmakers after his assigned 3...
In continuing testimony today on HB 1, the child support enforcement bill: Patricia Felts told lawmakers, “This law would be socialistic. … I feel that our best bet is to stick to our own state where we have control and we know exactly what’s going...
Despite the hot debate going on in the Lincoln Auditorium this morning on the child support enforcement bill, that alarm that went off a few minutes ago out in the hallway wasn't the fire alarm. Idaho Public TV reporter Melissa Davlin reports that it was...
More than a dozen people have testified so far, evenly divided in favor of the bill and against, and they were called alternately, one for, one against. Here are some of the comments: Kathy Scott, representing the American Association of University Women, said, “How great…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
