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Idaho House introduces late-session medical cannabis bill
A new bill designed to provide for a “tightly regulated system” of medical cannabis was introduced Friday morning in the Idaho House of Representatives. House Health and Welfare Committee Chairman John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, introduced House Bill 370, the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act, as a personal bill on the floor of the Idaho House on […]
With Medicaid, K-12 budgets still on docket, Idaho legislative session to continue next week
Republican legislative leaders missed their nonbinding target to wrap up Idaho’s 2023 legislative session on Friday. The Idaho House of Representatives essentially finished its business Friday and adjourned until Tuesday to allow the Idaho Senate time to address the more than 50 bills and 30 pending gubernatorial appointments that were backed up on its reading […]
Idaho Gov. Brad Little to act on bill moving Idaho’s presidential primary election back to May
Idaho Gov. Brad Little will have the final say in whether Idaho’s presidential primary election is moved to late May. On Thursday, the Idaho Senate voted 23-11 to pass House Bill 138. If passed into law, the bill would move Idaho’s presidential primary election back on the calendar from its current date on the second […]
Idaho legislators request three new reports from the Office of Performance Evaluations
Idaho legislators have asked the Office of Performance Evaluations to produce reports on the Idaho Health Data Exchange’s bankruptcy, Medicaid hospital rates and forensic death investigations. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee that oversees the Office of Performance Evaluations voted Thursday to request separate, formal reports on each of the three topics that will be delivered […]
Bill blocking foreign governments from buying Idaho ag land, mining claims advances to Senate
A bill designed to block foreign governments from purchasing agricultural land, water rights, mining claims and mineral claims is advancing to the Idaho Senate floor for a vote. On Thursday, the Senate State Affairs Committee voted to send House Bill 173 to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation. If the bill is signed into […]
Idaho Legislature’s JFAC rewrites failed Medicaid budget
The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Wednesday morning rewrote the fiscal year 2024 Medicaid budget that the Idaho House of Representatives killed on Monday. The budget includes funding for five programs, including expanded Medicaid coverage for adults making under 138% of the federal poverty limit, which 60.6% of Idaho voters approved via a 2018 […]
Idaho House passes bill allowing judges to shield their home address, phone number from disclosure
The Idaho House of Representatives unanimously voted Tuesday to pass a bill that would establish a process to shield the home addresses and telephone numbers of judges and their families from public disclosure. If passed into law, Senate Bill 1059 would allow judicial officers to submit an application to have public agencies exempt their street […]
Idaho House kills bill that would have eliminated use of affidavits for voting
The Idaho House of Representatives narrowly killed a bill Tuesday that would have eliminated registered voters’ ability to sign sworn affidavit to verify their identity and vote in elections. House Bill 137 would have repealed a section of Idaho law that allows registered voters to provide their name and address and complete a signed, sworn […]
Idaho House kills Medicaid budget
The Idaho House of Representatives voted Monday to kill the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare’s Medicaid budget, placing a potential barrier in the way of wrapping up the 2023 legislative session this week. House Bill 334 failed on a 34-36 vote after several Republicans complained about the overall cost of the Medicaid budget, which […]
Firing squad bill heads to Idaho Gov. Brad Little for final consideration
Idaho Gov. Brad Little will have the final say on whether the state adds the firing squad as an alternative method of execution. On Monday, the Idaho Senate voted 24-11 to pass House Bill 186, which adds the firing squad as an alternative method of execution when lethal injection is unavailable. Lethal injection is currently […]
After budget concerns, JFAC reduces raises for Idaho Attorney General’s Office
In response to concerns raised last week on the House floor, the Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has reduced the proposed raises for Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s staff next year. On Monday, JFAC rewrote the fiscal year 2024 budget for the Idaho Attorney General’s Office and reduced the proposed raises for attorneys and staff […]
Babe Vote, March for Our Lives Idaho file suit over law eliminating student IDs for voting
Two different organizations representing young people in Idaho announced they have filed lawsuits challenging a new law that Gov. Brad Little recently signed that eliminates student IDs as an acceptable form of identification for voting. Members of the organizations Babe Vote and March for Our Lives Idaho announced Friday that they filed suits challenging House […]