Legislative & Political News

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

Idaho Supreme Court dismisses redistricting lawsuit The lawsuit filed by Idaho Republican state chairman Norm Semanko and House Speaker Lawerence Denney disputing Idaho Attorney General Ben Ysursa's opinion that they did not have the authority to dismiss two Republican members of the state legislative redistricting panel was dismissed by the Idaho Supreme Court.
Idaho Statesman 1/26/2012

GOP dispute on Idaho legislative redistricting moves to court Idaho Attorney General Ben Ysursa sided with two members of the state's redistricting panel when they refused to step down after House Speaker Lawerence Denney and Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko fired them, prompting Denney and Semanko to sue Ysursa for denying they had the ability to fire the redistricting commissioners.
Idaho Statesman 1/25/2012

Idaho Senate panel OKs bill to raise permit costs for megaloads The Idaho Transportation Department asked state lawmakers to allow for higher fees to be imposed on megaloads of equipment transported on state highways, and the Senate Transportation Committee approved legislation this week that would raise the fee from $18 to $70.
Idaho Statesman 1/25/2012

Redistricting dust-up in Idaho roils Republican Party After the Idaho Supreme Court tossed the state's redistricting plan last week, State Republican Chairman Norm Semanko and Idaho House Speaker Lawerence Denney removed two commissioners from the redistricting panel on Monday, but Randy Hansen and Dolores Crow said they're not stepping down. Idaho State Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said they don't have to step down, an opinion with which the state GOP does not agree.
Idaho Statesman 1/24/2012

GOP senators want review of EPA report on hydraulic fracturing in Wyoming Ten Republican senators, including Sen. Mike Crapo from Idaho, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the ranking GOP member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, have requested that the Environmental Protection Agency's draft report on water contamination near Pavillion, Wyo. that suggested a potential link between hydraulic fracturing and the contamination undergo a stringent scientific review.
Idaho Statesman 1/23/2012

Idaho legislation would move state's primary back to August In 1980, Idaho's primary election was moved from August to May, and legislation introduced Thursday in the House State Affairs Committee would move the primary election back to August, making for a much shorter general election campaign season.
Idaho Statesman 1/20/2012

President's initiative to spur tourism touts national parks President Obama's executive order issued Thursday is designed to make it easier for international tourists to visit the United States, and includes a provision to promote "national treasures," including national parks and monuments, as well as state parks.
Salt Lake Tribune 1/20/2012

Idaho senator withdraws support for federal Internet legislation A deluge of emails and telephone calls from constituents prompted Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch to rethink his support for the Protect Internet Protocol Act (PIPA).
Idaho Statesman 1/19/2012

Wolf parasite, Lochsa land exchange on Idaho state senator's agenda Idaho state Sen. Monty Pearce, who chairs the Senate Resources & Environment Committee, said he'll hold hearings this session on a couple of controversial issues: a parasite carried by wolves and on the Lochsa Land Exchange.
Idaho Statesman 1/19/2012

Idaho Supreme Court tosses legislative redistricting plan Twin Falls County was one of four counties that had challenged Idaho's newly redrawn legislative districts, and on Wednesday, the Idaho Supreme Court ordered the redistricting commission to go back to the drawing board.
Twin Falls Times-News 1/19/2012

Idaho House committee approves new rules for oil and gas development If neither the state House nor the Senate votes in opposition to the regulations on the oil and gas industry passed by the Idaho House Resources and Conservation Committee on Tuesday, those rules will go into effect.
Idaho Statesman 1/18/2012