Category Archives: Headlines
House committee advances state insurance exchange proposal
A committee of the Idaho House of Representatives has taken yet another step toward making Gov. Butch Otter’s vision for a state health insurance exchange a reality. The House Health and Welfare Committee Monday approved a legislative proposal presented to … Continue reading
JFAC approves K-12 funding boost, online education expands
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna is happy with increase in school funding. Despite Gov. Butch Otter’s call for only a 2 percent increase in K-12 education funding for the next fiscal year, Idaho’s public schools are in store for … Continue reading
Idaho lawmakers, agency staffers not in a panic over federal sequestration
Sen. Cliff Bayer says Idaho can’t worry about ‘what-if’ scenarios. According to a recent Wall Street Journal survey, 52 percent of Americans think the federal government’s sequestration is a “bad idea.” And, according to a recent report from ABC Radio … Continue reading
Liquor budget passes JFAC with only two dissenters
On Thursday, two Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) members, Sens. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, and Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, were the only members of the committee to vote against the Idaho State Liquor Division budget, which passed 17-2. The liquor division request included … Continue reading
Two House members, including one in leadership, speak out against insurance exchange
Rep. Janet Trujillo is against implementing a state health exchange in Idaho. In the aftermath of the Idaho Senate last week passing Gov. Butch Otter’s insurance exchange legislation, attention has now turned to the Idaho House. And two House members, … Continue reading
Senate committee votes down expanded food stamp distribution days
Sen. Lee Heider listens to testimony in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday voted against sending a bill to the full Senate that would have increased the number of days food stamps … Continue reading
‘Satisfactory academic progress’ rejected as a requirement for driver ed students
Sen. John Goedde proposed legislation in the Senate Education Committee to add criteria for teens to enroll in driver’s training classes. “The goal here is to add three simple words to state statute,” said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene. The … Continue reading
House Education Committee supports charter school funding measure
The House Education Committee Tuesday approved a bill that, if it becomes law, would allow the state’s charter schools to receive funding that, at present, is only available to traditional K-12 schools. Jason Hancock, deputy chief of staff at the … Continue reading
JFAC votes down senator’s Medicaid funding proposal
On Monday, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) opened the Department of Health and Welfare budget setting with a controversial proposal. Sen. Steven Thayn, R-Emmett, made a motion to cut $225,900 of the state’s portion for the mandatory Medicaid expansion called … Continue reading
Senate Education Committee approves cursive writing resolution
A House resolution urging that cursive writing be taught in Idaho schools that passed in the House of Representatives was approved Monday by a Senate committee. Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, presented House Concurrent Resolution 3 to the Senate Education … Continue reading