Legislative & Political News

Process to return donated governor's mansion in Idaho on schedule Among the tasks needed to complete the return of the J.R. Simplot mansion in Boise, which the Idaho family donated for use as a governor's mansion, was reinstating the $4,500 monthly housing stipend for the Gem State's governor, which the state intends to do on June 1, the date on which the 7,400-square-foot home will be returned to Simplot ownership.
Idaho Statesman 5/15/2013

Idaho senator's former campaign manager explains missing cash Jake Ball, Idaho U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo's former campaign manager, said he invested $250,000 of the Republican senator's campaign funds with a friend, Gavin McCaleb, who in turn invested it in a Nevada-registered company called Pyramid Global Resources, after which the money disappeared.
Idaho Statesman 5/14/2013

On July 1, Idaho agribusinesses will get more protections Idaho's petting zoos, pumpkin patches and other agritourism sites will get additional protection from claims from visitors when the Idaho Agritourism Promotion Act takes effect July 1.
Idaho Statesman 5/13/2013

Interior, Agriculture secretaries to visit NIFC in Boise Sally Jewell, the nation's new Interior secretary, will make her first visit to the National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho on Monday, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Idaho Statesman 5/10/2013

Idaho senators ask President Obama to get involved in VA disability debacle The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has an estimated 600,000 claims for disability benefits awaiting action, and in Idaho, nearly half of all pending claims are 125 days or older, prompting U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch to join with two-thirds of their colleagues in signing a letter to President Obama asking him to address the backlog.
Twin Falls Times-News 5/8/2013

Idaho senators voted no on Marketplace Fairness Act U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch joined 25 other senators in voting against the bill that would enable states to collect taxes on online sales, but the bill passed and will now move to the U.S. House.
Idaho Statesman 5/7/2013

Idaho governor declares May 'Second Amendment Protection Month' To tout the state's friendliness to gun and ammunition manufacturers, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter declared May Second Amendment Protection Month, and touted gun ownership as a way of life in a letter to 79 such companies, urging them to consider the Gem State as a great place to do business.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 5/7/2013

Idaho Transportation Dept. to begin meetings on 'big-rig' routes To comply with a law passed this past legislative session, the Idaho Transportation Department is in the process of appointing a committee to review potential new routes for oversized trucks in the state.
Idaho Statesman 5/6/2013

Members of Idaho's federal delegation disagree on budget fix At a meeting with the editorial board of the Idaho Statesman, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson said he's optimistic that Congress will agree to a bipartisan compromise on the nation's debt ceiling this fall, but in a separate meeting with the same board, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch sees no such "grand bargain" in the fall.
Idaho Statesman 5/3/2013

Hundreds rally in Idaho for immigration reform At a May Day rally in Boise on Wednesday, more than 700 people gathered to urge immigration reform.
Idaho Statesman 5/2/2013

Energy-producing states protest cuts to federal mineral royalties Legislators from Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and seven other energy-producing states have formed a coalition to protest federal cuts to mineral royalties that flow to states.
Casper Star-Tribune 4/29/2013

Budget cuts shut down 3 streamflow gauges in Idaho The U.S. Geological Survey's Idaho Water Science Center originally reported that five of the state's 31 stream flow gauges would be shut off due to sequestration budget cuts, but that number has since been cut to three, with one on the Little Salmon River at Riggins and the other on the Little Lost River near Howe pulled from the closure list.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 4/29/2013

Anonymous caller threatens Idaho health insurance exchange board with lawsuit On Monday, the 19 members of the board appointed to create Idaho's state-run health care exchange first gathered to begin their work, and each reported to have heard from an anonymous caller who said they would all be sued for participating on the board.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 4/23/2013

Idaho governor signs teacher contract bills into law After Idaho voters resoundingly overturned education reform legislation that limited schoolteacher contracts, Idaho legislators resurrected many provisions into bills this legislative session, and on Friday, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed them into law.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 4/22/2013

CEO of Idaho company throws his political weight behind immigration reform Frank VanderSloot, the CEO of Idaho-based Melaleuca, served as Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's national campaign finance co-chairman in 2012, and now he's urging businesses and business groups in Idaho and elsewhere to support immigration reform.
Idaho Statesman 4/18/2013

Idaho governor leads trade delegation to Asia Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter and a number of representatives of Idaho businesses will depart Friday for South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, where they'll meet with current trade partners and potential new partners.
Idaho Statesman 4/18/2013

Idaho senators helped defeat string of gun control amendments The seven amendments to the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 voted on Wednesday by the U.S. Senate required 60 votes to pass, and Idaho's U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted no on all seven of the amendments, all of which failed to meet the 60-vote requirement.
Idaho Statesman 4/18/2013

U.S. House subcommittee holds hearing on slate of Antiquities Act bills Utah U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop led the hearing Tuesday before a House Natural Resources subcommittee on a number of bills sponsored by Republican lawmakers from western states authored to either limit presidential use of the Antiquities Act, used in the past to designate national monuments, or to exempt states from the use of such a designation, with bills offered by Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Montana lawmakers getting a hearing.
Salt Lake Tribune 4/17/2013

Idaho among minority of states with a budget in the black Idaho's rainy day funds don't have as much money in them these days as they did before the recession hit in 2008, but the Gem State is better off than three-fifths of the states, which are facing budget shortfalls.
Idaho Statesman 4/16/2013

Idaho groups lobby White House for national monument action In 2008, then-Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne prepared two draft nominations for designation of the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains in Central Idaho and the caldera plateau around Mesa Falls as national monuments, but didn't formally submit either, and now conservation groups in the Gem State are pressing the current administration to protect those areas.
Idaho Statesman 4/15/2013

Idaho governor vetoes bill to divert $100K in FWP funds to use for wolf control Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter vetoed two bills on Friday, including one that would have diverted $100,000 in Idaho Fish and Game funds for hunter access to a fund to address problem wolves that kill livestock and big game.
Idaho Statesman 4/15/2013

Idaho's gun laws a draw for Second Amendment supporters Idaho already had some of the least-restrictive gun laws in the nation, and this past legislative session, four bills were passed to tweak those laws a bit.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 4/15/2013

Idaho senator the point man for gun legislation filibuster While both Idaho's U.S. senators are among the 14 Republican senators calling for a filibuster on the debate of gun control legislation in the Senate, it's Sen. Jim Risch who is making the rounds of the talk shows to press for such a filibuster.
Idaho Statesman 4/11/2013

Idaho governor had mixed success with his agenda this legislative session Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter successfully convinced legislators to allow Idaho to run its own health care insurance exchange required under the Affordable Care Act, but was unsuccessful in getting the Hire One Act, which provided tax credits for job creation, extended.
Twin Falls Times-News 4/9/2013

Idaho congressman becomes GOP point man on immigration reform U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador of Idaho brings experience and expertise to the debate on immigration reform, given his Puerto Rican heritage and his representation of undocumented residents fighting deportation.
Twin Falls Times-News 4/7/2013

FAA to delay air tower closures until June 15 On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that closures of air traffic control towers due to sequestration cuts at 149 airports around the nation, including in Idaho and Montana, would be delayed until June 15.
Washington Post 4/6/2013

Idaho Legislature passes education budget, adjourns Repealing Idaho's business equipment tax and deciding whether to operate a state-run health-care insurance exchange were predicted to be the hot-button issues that could keep Idaho legislators in Boise longer than anticipated, but in the end, it was the state's education budget that prolonged the session, which ended Thursday.
Idaho Statesman 4/5/2013

Idaho U.S. Sen. Risch says he'll seek a second term On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch said he will run for re-election in 2014.
Idaho Statesman 4/5/2013

Idaho airports mull options as they lose funding for control towers Four of the 149 airports across the United States that will lose federal funding to operate their control towers on May 5 are located in Idaho. Officials at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport are working with the city to cover some of the funding lost to keep that control tower operating, and the board of the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport met Tuesday to discuss options to cover the $750,000 needed to keep that tower open.
Idaho Statesman 4/4/2013

With education compromise in hand, Idaho Legislature poised to wrap up today The Idaho House and Senate must vote on an education budget before lawmakers can leave Boise, and a compromise budget that's virtually unchanged from the one that failed by one vote last week is on the agenda today.
Twin Falls Times-News 4/4/2013

 

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