News
Montana conservationist to be tapped to head U.S. Bureau of Land Management
President Joe Biden intends to nominate National Wildlife Federation senior adviser and veteran Montana Democrat Tracy Stone-Manning to direct the Bureau of Land Management, an individual familiar with the process confirmed to States Newsroom on Wednesday. Stone-Manning joined the NWF as associate vice president for public lands in 2017 and was promoted to senior adviser […]
Idaho sets a lofty goal: 80% of people vaccinated for COVID-19 — this year
State officials hope to persuade more Idahoans to get the COVID-19 vaccine — and they’ve set the goal at a statewide vaccination rate of 80%. That’s a high bar for a state whose flu vaccination rate is below 50%. Idaho public health officials said Tuesday they’re planning to ask the U.S. Centers for Disease Control […]
House committee advances bill prohibiting organizations, nonprofits from funding election work in Idaho
The House State Affairs Committee has advanced a bill that would prohibit outside organizations from providing funding for elections in Idaho. Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene, said Senate Bill 1168 is necessary because of out-of-state grant funding that came into Idaho to support the 2020 elections. Souza said the nonprofit Center for Tech and Civic […]
Child nutrition assistance program funding request moves forward after delay
After back and forth with legislators over details, a funding request for $1.6 million to continue a pandemic-specific nutrition assistance program cleared the Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee by a vote of 18-2. The funding is allocated for the free and reduced lunch program that will assist approximately 71,000 students. The request first came before […]
House Republicans kill $1.1B budget for teacher salaries
Thirty-four House Republicans killed the $1.1 billion public school budget for Idaho teacher salaries Tuesday, raising even more uncertainty about the Legislature’s ability to adjourn the session. Hardline conservative legislators led opposition to House Bill 354 after a 70-minute debate that was dominated by conservatives’ concerns that social justice and critical race theory teachings were […]
JFAC approves $1.75M increase for state police presence at Idaho Capitol
Members of the Idaho Legislature’s top financial committee approved a one-time funding request of $1.75 million to provide additional Idaho State Police trooper security staffing at the Idaho Capitol building and the Idaho Supreme Court. The request is a continuation of funding approved by the Coronavirus Financial Advisory Committee in December that allocated $350,000 to […]
Idaho health officials urge pause on Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on Tuesday issued a recommendation to health care providers to follow guidance from U.S. regulators and hold off on continuing to administer COVID-19 vaccines made by Johnson & Johnson. Federal officials issued a recommendation early Tuesday morning that health care providers pause use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. […]
New Boise State Model United Nations program receives $500,000 gift
Boise State University will begin a new Model United Nations program after a donation of $500,000 from the Frank Church Institute, according to a BSU press release. The money will be used to administer the program and to subsidize attendance from high school students who will participate in an annual competition on Boise State’s campus. […]
Largest transportation funding bill of 2021 heads to Senate floor
The largest transportation funding bill of the Idaho Legislature’s 2021 session advanced to the Senate floor on Monday, narrowly avoiding a trip to the amending order that would have continued to delay an end to this year’s legislative activities. House Bill 362 is a new version of a bill introduced earlier in the session that […]
Child nutrition assistance program put on hold after committee vote
Funding for a nutrition assistance program benefiting approximately 71,000 children stalled Monday after the Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee delayed approval because one legislator expressed concerns about the accounting process. Legislators delayed the funding for the Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer program administered by the Idaho State Department of Education after Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, raised a […]
Idaho legislators hold hearing on redrawing state border to take in Oregon counties
Two of the Idaho Legislature’s committees teamed up Monday for a joint hearing over a longshot proposal to redraw Oregon’s border so that about 20 rural Oregon counties would become part of Idaho. There was no bill, budget or formal proposal to act on. But the House Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee and the Senate […]
White House aims sales pitch for infrastructure plan at the states
WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania’s 7,540 miles of highway roads in poor condition. Florida’s $100 billion in damages over the last decade from extreme weather events. The 1 in 4 Idahoans with no access to broadband internet, and 1 in 2 living in areas with too-few licensed child care centers. In the next phase of President Joe […]