Boise businessman Tommy Ahlquist outraised his Republican gubernatorial rivals last year, reporting more than $1.7 million in fundraising, but opponent Lt. Gov. Brad Little closed out 2017 with a bigger bank balance of nearly $638,000. End-of-year financial disclosure reports were filed Wednesday with the Idaho Secretary of State's office. The...
Two of the three leading GOP candidates for governor issued statements today lauding the signing of HB 335, the unemployment insurance tax cut bill for Idaho employers; here are the full statements from Lt. Gov. Brad Little and Boise physician and developer Tommy Ahlquist: LITTLE:…
Idaho House Majority Leader Mike Moyle wants to write the state’s current roadkill salvage rules into state law, and add an additional provision: That motorists can shoot a badly injured animal they’ve struck, to put it out of its misery. Right now, Moyle said, “The…
Officials with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes say they will not renew a contract with their lobbying firm after the firm filed a ballot initiative to legalize lucrative betting machines known as instant racing. The tribes and others across the state have previously come out against the betting terminals, saying they do not use pari-mutuel wagering...
Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney is asking for a budget increase next year of more than 70 percent, with most of the increase coming in a major upgrade to the state’s election software system to allow more transparent reporting of campaign finances, lobbyist records...
The Medicaid budget came under scrutiny in the Joint Finance-Appropriat ions Committee today, as part of a series of budget hearings this week on the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare. For next year, Gov. Butch Otter is recommending a 13 percent increase in state…
Gov. Butch Otter has signed the first bill of the session into law – HB 335, the unemployment insurance tax cut for Idaho employers. “This is about a year overdue,” Otter said. “I’ve got to thank the legislative leadership for their leadership and for their...
Idaho House Democrats are calling for investing in education and infrastructure, rather than the $202 million tax-cut proposal that GOP leaders and Gov. Butch Otter introduced yesterday. “This tax cut is at best rushed, at worst, reckless,” said House Minority Leader Mat Erpelding,...
A second leading Republican candidate for governor now says he would pursue term limits, some form of financial disclosure requirements and other reforms targeting Idaho politicians. The proposals by U.S. Rep. Raúl Labrador come on the heels of the Republican-dominated Legislature showing signs it will continue to resist such reforms. The House...
A new proposal to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients in Idaho – most of whom are children or disabled – is raising concerns among health advocacy groups that had been supportive of the Idaho Health Care Plan, Idaho’s dual-waiver proposal. The work clause, added...
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
