by Melissa Davlin, Idaho Reports During brief remarks at the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho annual conference on Wednesday, Gov. Brad Little hinted at his priorities for the upcoming 2022 legislative session. “This upcoming session, I will reveal my plans on how to give back to the people of Idaho yet another record budget surplus —Continue reading “Little gives brief glimpse at 2022 priorities at Wednesday speech”
Category Archives: Legislature
Budget committee shoots down federal overreach fund
by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports The joint budget committee shot down a new legal fund for the legislature Monday afternoon, voting 12-6 against the proposal. The bill from Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, would have created a Federal Overreach Legal Defense Fund for the legislature’s legal expenses in defending the state from overreach by the federalContinue reading “Budget committee shoots down federal overreach fund”
House votes to censure Giddings
By Ruth Brown and Melissa Davlin, Idaho Reports The Idaho House of Representatives voted 49-19 on Monday to censure Rep. Priscilla Giddings, of White Bird, after the House Ethics Committee conducted a public hearing this summer. The vote came after a tense debate. At the beginning, members of the committee, as well as House SpeakerContinue reading “House votes to censure Giddings”
ISP will request funding more troopers for capitol after increased threats
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Idaho State Police will ask the Legislature to provide funding for additional police to protect the Capitol complex and state-owned buildings. The additional request for fiscal year 2023, costing roughly $2.6 million, comes from ISP to pay for 12 full-time permanent positions in the capitol protective services unit. TheContinue reading “ISP will request funding more troopers for capitol after increased threats”
Draft bill would dramatically redirect online sales tax
by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports Property taxes are a perennial discussion at the Idaho statehouse, and this year is no exception. An interim legislative committee drew headlines last week for a proposal to phase out supplemental levies, which voters pass to raise their property taxes and fund local school districts. The proposal would not createContinue reading “Draft bill would dramatically redirect online sales tax”
One person, one vote, forty-four counties
by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports As Idaho communities have grown unevenly over the past decade, how should the interests of urban and rural areas best be represented? That’s one of several issues before Idaho’s redistricting commission as they decide how to lay out 35 legislative districts across the 44 counties. The bipartisan six-member commission spentContinue reading “One person, one vote, forty-four counties”
Idaho state budgeting committee meets, surplus nears $1 billion
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee met Tuesday to review budget requests from multiple state agencies. The Legislative Services Office outlined a variety of supplemental appropriation requests the committee will need to approve. A supplemental appropriation is a request for more taxpayer funding to pay for an expense that’s incurredContinue reading “Idaho state budgeting committee meets, surplus nears $1 billion”
Legislative committee questions consequences of Biden’s vaccine order
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Idaho Legislature’s Committee on Federalism met Wednesday to discuss President Joe Biden’s recent announcement on employee vaccinations. Idaho still has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Crisis standards of care has been activated statewide due to a flood of COVID-19 patients, the overwhelming majority of whomContinue reading “Legislative committee questions consequences of Biden’s vaccine order”
State, federal government at odds over vaccine mandates for private employers
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports President Joe Biden announced Thursday afternoon that he will impose new stringent vaccine and testing requirements for federal workers and for all employers with more than 100 employees. The announcement comes as coronavirus continues to rip through Idaho, filling hospitals to maximum capacity. Northern Idaho hospitals have already reached crisisContinue reading “State, federal government at odds over vaccine mandates for private employers”
Idaho Supreme Court deems voter initiative bill unconstitutional, strikes new requirements
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Idaho Supreme Court issued an opinion Monday ruling that a bill passed by the Idaho Legislature on voter ballot initiatives is unconstitutional. The case was brought by Reclaim Idaho, the same group that successfully campaigned to place Medicaid Expansion on the ballot in 2018, and the Committee to ProtectContinue reading “Idaho Supreme Court deems voter initiative bill unconstitutional, strikes new requirements”