Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, moved to “accept the governor’s projections as reasonable,” and for 2018 set the EORAC projection for state general fund revenues for fiscal year at $3.6309 billion, and for 2019 at $3.8231 billion. His motion passed 15-1, with the only “no” vote...
“There are a range of different outlooks, but when you’re all kind of put together, you’re pretty close to where the governor is,” legislative budget analyst Keith Bybee told the Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee this afternoon. Each member of the joint committee has…
The Legislature’s joint Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee has convened this afternoon in room EW42 of the Capitol to set its revenue estimate, which will be submitted as a recommendation to JFAC. First, the panel is hearing from state Economist Derek Santos, who is…
The annual BSU Public Policy Survey is out, and it shows that Idahoans overwhelmingly believe the state budget should stay the same or be increased; nearly two-thirds think the current tax burden is about right; and if there were to be tax reform, they favor...
In a special meeting this afternoon, Idaho’s State Board of Education voted to endorse Gov. Butch Otter’s proposal for a higher education CEO; and also endorsed Otter’s push for a $5 million boost to the state’s Opportunity Scholarship fund. Idaho Education News reporter Kevin Richert…
Idaho teacher salaries increased by an average of 3.6 percent in 2017-18, the third year of the state’s five-year, $250 million plan to boost teacher pay, reports Idaho EdNews. That’s the largest increase since the passage of the 2015 “career ladder” salary law, according to...
An environmental group is asking Idaho officials to prosecute a trapper who killed a wolverine and ban lethal traps in areas inhabited by wolverines, but state officials say they will do neither. The Center for Biological Diversity made the request Tuesday in a letter to Idaho Department of Fish and Game...
A delegation from the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, a collaborative of five states and five Canadian provinces, told the House Environment Committee today that so far, $9 million in federal funds has been allocated to Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to fight to keep invasive…
There were both protesters and counter-protesters in front of the Capitol over the noon hour today, as the Convention of States group brought its leader, Mark Meckler, in to speak at a rally, and groups opposing a constitutional convention held their own counter-protest. The AP…
A series of quick remodels at numerous Idaho correctional facilities, from work camp and re-entry centers to the Pocatello women’s prison, will create 99 more beds for Idaho’s swelling state prison population. Legislative budget writers this morning unanimously approved an immediate supplemental appropriation of $483,500…
With a series of two unanimous, roll-call votes this morning, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee restored the $27.5 million – plus some interest – transfer to road projects that lawmakers had voted to make with half of a $55 million surplus at the end of the...
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
