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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 House Bill 137 would have repealed a section of Idaho law that allows registered voters to provide their name and address and complete a signed, sworn […]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 […]
New report shows Idaho’s shortage of direct care workers is worse than national average
A new report released to the Idaho Legislature on Thursday by the Office of Performance Evaluations found the state needs at least 3,000 more direct care workers to serve older and disabled Idahoans who rely on those professionals to remain in their homes. The report found Idaho’s direct care workforce shortage is worse than the […]
Idaho House sends Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s budget back for revisions
Without even voting, the Idaho House of Representatives sent new Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s budget back for revisions Wednesday after the Attorney General’s Office budget called for larger raises than legislators are approving for most state employees, including law enforcement officers. Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee Co-Chair Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, requested permission to pull the proposed […]
Idaho legislators appointed to bipartisan committee that was targeted for elimination by GOP
The Idaho Legislature’s Legislative Council met Tuesday to appoint legislators to the bipartisan committee that oversees the independent Office of Performance Evaluations. The meeting and appointments were significant because the Republican-controlled Idaho House of Representatives voted to eliminate the bipartisan Joint Legislative Oversight Committee when it passed House Bill 68 early last month. However, that […]
Idaho Legislature’s JFAC finishes setting 2024 state budget
The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee reached a major checkpoint in this year’s legislative session as it finished setting the fiscal year 2024 state budget Tuesday and signed off on a 16.4% increase in state funding for K-12 public schools. Altogether, JFAC approved a $378.6 million increase in state general fund spending for public schools. […]
Firing squad bill advances to floor of Idaho Senate
A bill that would add the firing squad as an alternative form of execution in Idaho is headed to the floor of the Idaho Senate for a final vote. Idaho has eight convicted murderers awaiting execution on death row. But state officials have had to cancel the planned execution of Gerald Pizzuto Jr. multiple times […]
Idaho House kills bill that would have restricted voting by absentee ballot
The Idaho House of Representatives killed a bill Monday that would have placed strict restrictions on who could vote using absentee ballots or even request an absentee ballot. The Idaho House voted 30-40 to kill House Bill 205, which would have prohibited Idahoans from voting by absentee ballot for convenience. Instead, if the bill had […]
Idaho House to vote on property tax bill that would eliminate March election date
A bill that supporters say would provide between $205 million and $355 million in property tax reductions in its first year is heading to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives for a vote. On Monday, the House Revenue and Taxation Committee voted to advance House Bill 292, a compromise property tax reduction bill […]