Legislative & Political News

Idaho House panel approves bill giving state oversight on oil, gas development The Idaho House Resources and Conservation Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to give the Idaho Oil and Gas Conservation Commission final authority on oil and gas development and limits counties' ability to prohibit drilling or other energy-related work.
Idaho Statesman 2/10/2012

Idaho Legislature to consider 3 bills on sale of big-game licenses The auction of big-game licenses in Idaho is a controversial issue in the state, and three bills set for hearing today would make changes on such sales: two Senate bills would allow landowners to charge whatever price they could get for tags they hold, and another Senate bill would expand the state offerings of big-game tags for auction from the one bighorn sheep tag to one moose; one wild sheep; one mountain goat; and up to three elk, deer and antelope tags annually.
Idaho Statesman 2/10/2012

Idaho National Laboratory to lay off 185 workers Battelle Energy Alliance, the operator of the Idaho National Laboratory, announced that it would seek voluntary resignations to cut the 4,200 jobs at the laboratory by 185.
Idaho Statesman 2/10/2012

Idaho bill would expand ranchers' options on dealing with predators Idaho state Sen. Jeff Siddoway, who operates a sheep ranch in the eastern part of the state, said he has lost tens of thousands of dollars due to predation by wolves, and his bill would open up a wide range of now illegal methods to ranchers dealing with wolves.
Twin Falls Times-News 2/10/2012

Idaho Department of Labor seeks new penalties for not reporting new hires The Idaho Department of Labor has asked legislators to pass legislation that allows the department impose a $25 fine on businesses that do not report new hires within the 20 days mandated by state law.
Idaho Statesman 2/9/2012

Idaho House, State lawmakers hear proposal to end personal property tax At a rare joint session of the Idaho House and Senate tax committees, Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry President Alex LaBeau urged lawmakers to consider getting rid of the state's tax on equipment and other non-real property.
Idaho Statesman 2/9/2012

Idaho bill would get state out of self-storage business In response to the public criticism of the Idaho State Land Board's decision to purchase the Affordable Self Storage in Boise in 2010, state Rep. John Vander Woude introduced legislation that would require the Land Board to sell all business operations and to sell or lease all improvements on state-owned lands.
Idaho Statesman 2/8/2012

Idaho House panel approves bill on annual state park pass The Idaho House Resources Committee approved legislation that would create an Idaho State Parks Passport, a program that would allow Idaho residents to buy a $10 sticker when they license their vehicle that would allow them free access to all 30 of the state's parks.
Idaho Statesman 2/8/2012

Idaho Republican Party certifies 5 presidential candidates for March caucuses Republican voters will have five presidential candidates to choose from when they meet for March 6 caucuses around the state: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.
Idaho Statesman 2/7/2012

Idaho legislator proposes bill to end Superfund work in Silver Valley Idaho state Rep. Shannon McMillan told members of the House Environment Committee on Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency has had enough time to clean up mining contamination in the Silver Valley, and that a bill she was sponsoring would require the EPA to rescind the Superfund designation for the area and be completely done with operations within five years.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 2/7/2012

Legislation would speed graduation from high school in Idaho The Idaho House Education Committee unanimously voted to send legislation that would create the 8 in 6 program, which would allow junior high and high school students to take additional credits during the school year and up to two summer courses to allow them to graduate early and get a head start on college.
Twin Falls Times-News 2/7/2012

Idaho Senate panel votes 5-4 to kill bill to raise speed limit for trucks On Thursday, the Idaho Senate Transportation Committee put the brakes on a bill that would have raised the speed limit for trucks in the state to 75 mph.
Idaho Statesman 2/3/2012

Idaho House sends bill banning sales of e-cigarettes to kids to the Senate Legislation that would ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors passed on a 68-0 vote in the Idaho House on Thursday, and will now be taken up by the state Senate.
Idaho Statesman 2/3/2012

Idaho House committee agrees to hear bill to make it harder to raise taxes Sixteen states in the union require tax increases to get the vote of two-thirds of the Legislature, and on Thursday the Idaho House State Affairs panel agreed to hear Sen. Steve Vick's bill for a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority vote on fee and tax increases.
Twin Falls Times-News 2/3/2012

Idaho governor signs executive order creating new nuclear-energy panel On Wednesday, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed an executive order creating the Idaho Leadership in Nuclear Energy, which will investigate ways to keep the Idaho National Laboratory and its nuclear mission viable.
Denver Post 2/2/2012

Idaho governor signs executive order creating new nuclear-energy panel On Wednesday, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed an executive order creating the Idaho Leadership in Nuclear Energy, which will investigate ways to keep the Idaho National Laboratory and its nuclear mission viable.
Denver Post 2/2/2012

Romney Super Pac gets $1 million from Idaho company Restore Our Future, the Super Pac supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, received four $250,000 donations from Idaho-based Melaleuca Inc. and its affiliates.
Idaho Statesman 2/2/2012

Not all truckers support bill to raise speed limit for trucks in Idaho The Idaho Senate Transportation Committee will hear Sen. Jim Hammond's bill to raise the speed limit for trucks to 75 mph today, but the bill isn't uniformly supported by the trucking industry within the state.
Idaho Statesman 2/2/2012

Romney Super Pac gets $1 million from Idaho company Restore Our Future, the Super Pac supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, received four $250,000 donations from Idaho-based Melaleuca Inc. and its affiliates.
Idaho Statesman 2/2/2012

Not all truckers support bill to raise speed limit for trucks in Idaho The Idaho Senate Transportation Committee will hear Sen. Jim Hammond's bill to raise the speed limit for trucks to 75 mph today, but the bill isn't uniformly supported by the trucking industry within the state.
Idaho Statesman 2/2/2012

Otter hires former Idaho Democratic Party leader to protect GOP education plan Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter hired John Foster, a former Idaho Democratic Party executive director, to work on a campaign to promote the three education reform laws passed by Republican legislators last session that are being challenged by ballot initiatives.
Idaho Statesman 2/1/2012

Idaho state senator submits 'straightforward' texting ban Idaho state Sen. Jim Hammond said his legislation that would ban texting while driving in the state avoids other pitfalls that doomed previous bills on texting by keeping the process simple: The bill defines texting, makes it an infraction to do so and if convicted of the infraction, drivers are fined.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 2/1/2012

Idaho legislator wants to trim benefits for elected officials' pensions Idaho state Rep. Dennis Lake has introduced a bill that would roll back a retirement benefit for elected officials, and another to close a loophole that allows lawmakers who live near Boise to accumulate retirement benefits about a quarter faster than legislators who live farther away from the capital city.
Twin Falls Times-News 2/1/2012

Declining sales of hunting tags a concern for Idaho Fish, Game Department Idaho Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore presented his budget request to the Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, where he spoke of declining sales of out-of-state tags while the sale of discounted tags for senior hunters were on the rise, resulting in less revenue. Moore also provided information about the state's ongoing wolf hunt.
Twin Falls Times-News 2/1/2012

Idaho county won't challenge latest redistricting map Twin Falls County officials said they're not thrilled with the latest map of legislative districts, but the Idaho officials said they'll live with the new districts.
Twin Falls Times-News 1/31/2012

Idaho counties, drillers draft bill to regulate natural gas development On Sunday, the Idaho Association of Counties and the Idaho Petroleum Council announced that they had crafted draft legislation to regulate the natural gas industry in the state, although they declined to release the draft legislation.
Spokane Spokesman-Review 1/29/2012

President Obama, Colorado governor agree on hydraulic fracturing Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a petroleum geologist by trade, supports the use of hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method that uses water, sand and chemicals to break open rock formations to release gas and oil resources, and he also supports the requirement that companies disclose what chemicals they use in the process, a stance that staffers said reflects one held by President Obama.
Durango Herald 1/27/2012

Idaho redistricting panel begins work on new map The six-member redistricting panel began work on redrawing Idaho's legislative districts on Thursday, with the expectation that the work will be done and approved well in advance of the Feb. 27 deadline for candidates to file for the May primary.
Idaho Statesman 1/27/2012

Idaho House votes to ban camping by Occupy Boise protesters on state grounds Three Republicans joined with Democratic House members to oppose a measure to order Occupy Boise protesters pull their tents off state grounds across from the Idaho state Capitol, but the measure passed 54-16, and protesters were ordered to break down their camps, although they can still gather to protest.
Idaho Statesman 1/27/2012

Governor doubts Idaho will meet federal deadline on health care exchange Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said he believes it's unlikely the state will have a state-based health care exchange up and running in time to meet the Jan. 1, 2013 deadline set by the federal government.
Idaho Statesman 1/26/2012