Moscow’s historic, wood-paneled City Council chambers was the scene of some hilarity last night, as City Councilman Walter Steed, left, played the part of a lucky reporter overhearing his local county commissioners illegally conducting public business over breakfast at a local café – while Latah…
The Idaho Legislature’s interim committee looking into a possible takeover of federal lands is backing away from any demand for the lands, instead focusing on long-term collaboration approach with federal officials, the AP reports. "I think for us to make a demand ... is meaningless,"…
Idaho’s unemployment insurance tax rates are set to drop another 16.8 percent in 2015, the Idaho Department of Labor announced today, as the economic recovery eases the pressure on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The fund went broke in 2009 and 2010 during the…
Idaho Sen. Jim Risch and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, both Republicans who serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee, released a joint statement today blasting the release today of a report on the CIA’s detention program that questions the agency’s claims on the effectiveness of harsh…
More than 45 people gathered at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston last night for the first of four open-government workshops in North Idaho this week featuring Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. The free sessions, sponsored by Idahoans for Openness in Government, or IDOG (full disclosure…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Idaho businessman Frank Vandersloot has won an award previously given to former President Ronald Reagan, former hockey star Wayne Gretzky and country music icon Johnny Cash. The Post Register reports that Vandersloot…
A new study by the University of Idaho’s Policy Analysis Group finds it would cost the state up to $111 million a year to manage 16.4 million acres of Forest Service and BLM land in Idaho if the state were to take it over; the…
When the U.S. House voted 219-197 late last week to disapprove of President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration, Idaho Rep. Raul Labrador didn’t vote “yes.” He didn’t vote “no” either. Instead, Labrador voted “present,” mystifying the folks back home. A request for comment to…
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was highly skeptical this morning of arguments on behalf of a Coeur d’Alene woman that NSA cell phone surveillance violates her constitutional right to privacy; you can read my full story here at spokesman.com. When…
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in Seattle this morning in an Idaho case in which a nurse from Coeur d’Alene sued the president and other top national officials over the bulk collection of cell phone data by the National Security…
North Idaho has a new crew of conservative GOP legislators who took office this past week, even as the rest of the state resisted a push to oust lawmakers who favored a state health insurance exchange proposed by GOP Gov. Butch Otter. Of the 45…
Idaho state tax revenues in November came in 5.9 percent ahead of forecasts, the governor’s Division of Financial Management reports, pushing the fiscal year-to-date total collections to $12.3 million, or 1.1 percent ahead of projections. The biggest jump came in individual income tax collections, which…
Here's a news item from the Associated Press: TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Officials with cheesemaker Glanbia Foods have announced an $82 million expansion of manufacturing plants in south-central Idaho. The company in a statement on Thursday says the expansion at its headquarters in Twin…
Idaho state schools Superintendent-elect Sherri Ybarra has been mum since the election, but she was at the Capitol during yesterday’s organizational session, meeting with lawmakers and others. Accompanying her was former Sen. Tim Corder, R-Mountain Home, who acknowledged in response to a reporter’s questions that…
When the Idaho Legislature convenes in January, it’ll have just one committee chairman from North Idaho – new House Business Committee Chairman Vito Barbieri of Dalton Gardens. “I look forward to the opportunity of serving in this capacity, that’s for sure,” Barbieri said after he…
The full committee assignments for both the House and Senate are now up online, in the official journals of the House and Senate. You can see the Senate list here and the House list here.
Here are the new House committee chairs: Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, will chair the Business Committee, succeeding retired Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls. Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Idaho Falls, will chair the Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, formerly chaired by Rep. Dell Raybould, who will…
Committee assignments in the Senate are not 100 percent done, but here’s a rundown of the new committee chairs: Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, has been tapped to chair the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, the former Ag chair, gets the Resources Committee, formerly…
Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, will be the new chairman of the Senate Education Committee. “That’s what I’ve been asked to do,” said Mortimer, who also will continue to serve on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Mortimer replaces longtime Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, who was…
When the Senate took its roll-call vote this morning to re-elect Sen. Brent Hill as president pro-tem, new Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, didn’t vote the first time her name was called – for her first vote – but did when it was called again…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, who accepted the 2014 Dottie & Ed Stimpson Award for Civic Engagement from the City Club of Boise today, asked what advice he has for incoming Secretary of State-elect Lawerence Denney. “We chatted, he’s called,” Ysursa said. “I like…
Idaho has joined a $3.8 million multi-state settlement with Sirius XM Radio Inc. over misleading advertising and billing practices, through which Idaho consumers who had problems with the service can get reimbursed. "I am pleased we have reached an amicable settlement with Sirius,” said Idaho…
It’s the Senate’s custom to have a roll-call vote for the election of the Senate president pro-tem, and it was unanimous for Sen. Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, to continue in the post. Here, Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa administers the oath of office to Hill,…
Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, as he stepped forward to swear in the members of the Idaho Senate this morning, said, “Let me say it is a very distinct honor and privilege to be able to swear you in today. … It is a…
The House has unanimously approved the election of House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, as speaker for the upcoming session. “The ayes clearly have it,” said Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, who then administered the oath of office as speaker to Bedke; Bell is now the senior…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
| Dec. 2014 | Nov. 2014 | Oct. 2014 | Sept. 2014 |
| Aug. 2014 | July 2014 | June 2014 | May 2014 |
| April 2014 | March 2014 | Feb. 2014 | Jan. 2014 |
