Here’s my full story from spokesman.com on Gov. Butch Otter’s reactions today to the newly completed Idaho legislative session, in which he said he was “a little disappointed” state lawmakers took no action to close the state’s health coverage gap, but he won’t call a...
Here is Gov. Butch Otter’s full end-of-session statement, released at the end of his news conference today; Otter lauded legislative accomplishments on K-12 and higher education, STEM education, school safety, new mental health crisis centers and public defense reform: EDUCATION, K-THROUGH-CAREER EFFORTS ADVANCED BY 2016...
Other topics Gov. Butch Otter has addressed today: CONCEALED CARRY: Otter said he supports bill and signed it into law, but would have preferred that it require Idahoans to get some firearms training before carrying a concealed gun without a permit. The bill permits Idahoans…
In response to questions from reporters about whether he’d consider calling a special session, Gov. Butch Otter said no. “That is not something that I am at this time considering, no,” he said. “I know of no reason at this moment that I’m going to…
House Speaker Scott Bedke said of the state’s health coverage gap, “We weren’t even talking about this last year,” saying lawmakers have made progress “with their knowledge and understanding the issue.” Bedke said, “We look forward to working with … the governor’s office and the...
“I was a little disappointed we weren’t able to go forward on health care, especially closing the gap,” Gov. Butch Otter said today. “Who started this fight was Obamacare. … There were things we were doing in this state and continue to do in this…
Gov. Butch Otter has arrived for his end-of-session press conference, accompanied by Lt. Gov. Brad Little, House Speaker Scott Bedke and Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill. You can listen live here. "All in all, I'd have to say, I think we had a pretty good…
Here’s my full Sunday column, from how lawmakers anted up for the arts after first killing the Idaho Commission on the Arts budget, to a roundup of nine legislative limericks from the final week and a half of the session: BOISE – After the Idaho…
Here’s my full Sunday story on this year’s legislative session, including North Idaho lawmakers’ and legislative leaders’ reflections on what did and didn’t get accomplished. BOISE – Idaho lawmakers addressed an array of long-festering issues in the legislative session they wrapped up Friday, from a…
What will the governor do/Now that lawmakers are through?/Will he take a stand/On health gap demands/Or just say that's all we can do?
After an exceedingly lovely and peaceful day of skiing at Bogus Basin on Saturday – see above – I’ve decided to change plans and delay my week off for a day, so I can cover Gov. Butch Otter’s end-of-session press conference on Monday and report…
Gov. Butch Otter signed two controversial bills into law today: The permitless concealed-carry bill, and the bill banning homeowner’s associations from restricting short-term rentals. He expressed concerns about the gun bill, but signed it nonetheless. The gun bill, SB 1389, allows Idahoans age 21 or…
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter will hold his traditional end-of-session press conference on Monday at 11 a.m. MT, when he’ll give his take on what lawmakers accomplished this session and answer questions from the press. He decided to hold off and not do it today because…
Tonight’s “Idaho Reports” looks at the 11th and final week of this year’s legislative session, including an overview of the week’s developments; an interview with Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis; an interview with Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett about health care and Add the Words;…
Here's my full story from spokesman.com on today's final chapter in this year's health care fight, which ended with the House killing a bill on a party-line vote and adjourning for the year: BOISE – The Idaho House shot down a health care bill on…
Idaho Democrats held a Capitol press conference this afternoon to give their take on the just-concluded legislative session, and House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, said, “We hope to come back here next year to a body that has more responsive, Democratic legislators.” Told that…
After the House’s straight party-line vote today to reject Senate amendments to the health care – and therefore end this year’s legislative session without doing anything to address the 78,000 Idahoans who fall into a health care coverage gap – House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley,…
The House has adjourned sine die, ending this year’s legislative session at 12:10 p.m. MT.
After passing the urban renewal bill as amended, the House is now preparing to adjourn sine die. Members have honored retiring Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, who is ill and not here today, with both a poem and presentation of the flag that flew over...
After Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, raised questions about whether House Speaker Scott Bedke had a conflict of interest in the requested $8 million transfer to the Legislative Legal Defense Fund, Bedke left the speaker’s chair, letting Rep. Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, take over, and spoke at...
The House is now debating SB 1428, the bill to deposit $8 million into the legislative legal defense fund for a possible settlement with vendors in the Idaho Education Network case. Rep. Phylis King, D-Boise, said, “This is $8 million to go into a slush…
The House has agreed unanimously to leave the remaining bills on its 3rd Reading calendar there and not take them up; there were four, most of them minor and one of which has been replaced by another version. But one was of more import: HB…
The House has voted 55-12 to not concur in the Senate amendments to HB 644, the health coverage bill. Rep. John VanderWoude, R-Meridian, said, “I think we are well aware that the amendments have considerably changed the intention of the bill, the wording of the...
HB 606a, the urban renewal bill, has come up in the House for consideration of concurrence in the Senate amendments. Rep. Rick Youngblood, R-Nampa, explained that the Senate first added amendments to the much-amended House-passed. “After considerable discussion with the cities, the cities decided that…
The House voted 57-10 to concur in the Senate amendments to the urban renewal bill, HB 606a, with 10 Democrats dissenting; that clears the way for the bill to be taken up and considered as amended. Now, it's started debate on the amendments to HB...
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
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