Government + Politics
Third challenge filed over Idaho’s new redistricting plan
An eastern Idaho man filed a challenge against Idaho’s new legislative redistricting plan on Wednesday with the Idaho Supreme Court, bringing the total number of redistricting challenges to three. Chubbuck resident Spencer Stucki is asking the Idaho Supreme Court to throw out the legislative map Idaho’s bipartisan redistricting commission voted unanimously to approve Nov. 10. […]
Idaho Gov. Brad Little teases new tax cut package at taxpayers’ conference
Gov. Brad Little teased plans to return some of the state’s historic projected budget surplus to Idahoans next year during a speech Wednesday at the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho conference in Boise. As is tradition for Idaho governors speaking at the tax conference, Little offered a brief preview of his agenda heading into January’s new […]
Protestors rally at Supreme Court as justices hear landmark abortion case
WASHINGTON — Lucia Ruta remembers a time when abortions were illegal. A native of Washington, D.C., she says she received an abortion in a back alley when she was 16, in the 1960s. “The doctor told me that if I made as so much a whimper, he was going to stop and kick me out,” […]
U.S. Supreme Court considers new limits on abortions in Mississippi case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing potentially sweeping changes to the right to an abortion, after two hours of arguments Wednesday morning on a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The court’s conservatives, who hold a 6-3 majority, appeared through their questions to be sympathetic to Mississippi’s arguments […]
Build Back Better: What’s in it for Idaho?
The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the Build Back Better Act, a massive piece of legislation that includes funding for many social programs and clean energy, on Nov. 19. It awaits consideration by the U.S. Senate, where it is unclear how the bill might be amended or cut in order to win over a […]
Joint budget committee co-chairman taking leave of absence from Legislature
Sen. Steve Bair, R-Blackfoot, is taking a leave of absence from the Idaho Legislature that will require leadership changes for the powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. Bair, who serves as co-chairman of JFAC, is taking leave to deal with family issues, Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, announced at the outset of Tuesday’s Legislative Council […]
Vaccine mandate for health care workers halted nationwide by Louisiana judge
WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Louisiana on Tuesday issued a ruling blocking nationwide the Biden administration mandate requiring millions of health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. A suit challenging the mandate was led on behalf of multiple states by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, and U.S. Judge Terry Doughty granted the […]
Democrats risk losses in 2022 if they give up on paid leave, advocates say
WASHINGTON — When paid family leave was briefly dropped from congressional Democrats’ massive social spending and climate bill earlier this fall, the outcry was swift. Women and caregivers suddenly were calling lawmakers and advocates, and they were sharing their own stories on social media in huge numbers, said Dawn Huckelbridge, director of Paid Leave for […]
House Dems mull how to address Rep. Lauren Boebert’s anti-Muslim remarks
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday that Democrats are weighing what to do about Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado in connection with anti-Muslim comments she made about a colleague in the House. “We’re considering what action ought to be taken,” said Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, at a briefing with reporters. […]
Meridian mayor says new redistricting map is an improvement over current boundaries
The new legislative districts map that Idaho’s bipartisan redistricting commission created and approved represents an improvement over how Meridian is currently divided, Mayor Robert Simison said. In September, before redistricting commissioners approved the new map, Simison told commissioners he believes the city’s population justifies having two legislative districts located centrally to Meridian. He thinks the […]
GOP, Democratic party leaders agree Idahoans should say ‘no’ to crossover voting in primary
Lately, I have been hearing from Democrats who will do everything in their power to prevent Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin and Rep. Pricilla Giddings from winning the top two Republican primary races. They’re even talking about registering as Republicans and voting in the GOP primary election – taking their chances with Gov. Brad Little and […]
Federal vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 states blocked by judge
WASHINGTON — Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, which include Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South […]