On Wednesday, House Republicans killed a concurrent resolution honoring the 50th anniversary of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area in a 22-45 vote. House Concurrent Resolution 51 celebrated the federal act that officially preserved the 760,000-acre land in 1972. An earlier resolution, Senate Concurrent Resolution 117, was killed in the House on an 18-51 vote March 10 after unanimously passing the …
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In the upcoming session, it’s imperative we address the vast infrastructure needs facing our state, which continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Idaho’s nearly $2 billion budget surplus and $1 billion from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (and more from the federal infrastructure plan) can provide timely investment opportunities for transportation, education, broadband, water and electrical grids, housing, …
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During a news conference Friday, Senate Democrats pushed back against the Idaho Legislature’s return to the Statehouse next week. Sens. Michelle Stennett, Grant Burgoyne, and Janie Ward-Engelking raised concerns about the possible legal ramifications that could stem from the Senate, specifically, coming back into session after adjourning in May, not recessing like the House. No mechanism exists for the body …
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On Tuesday, Idaho Democratic leaders announced the three individuals they plan to appoint to the 2021 Idaho Citizen Commission for Reapportionment. Senate Democratic Leader Michelle Stennett will appoint Dan Schmidt, a physician from Moscow, Idaho, where he has practiced family medicine for 32 years. Schmidt attended Stanford University before completing his education at University of Washington School of Medicine: WWAMI …
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Due to the overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases occurring in the Statehouse, the Idaho Legislature will recess until April 6. Democratic Leaders Ilana Rubel and Michelle Stennett said they wish the individuals who’ve tested positive a full and speedy recovery, and are thankful for the decision to take a two-week pause. However, it shouldn’t have taken an outbreak for lawmakers …
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The Senate narrowly killed S1108 in a 17-18 vote Thursday. The GOP-sponsored legislation sought to cap local governments’ budgets in an effort to lower property taxes for residents. However, opponents of the bill, which included all seven Democrats, said it provided minimal relief at great expense to cities and counties, forcing cuts to vital services, such as police, paramedics and …
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The Senate State Affairs Committee heard long testimony Monday on Senate Joint Resolution 101, a constitutional amendment which would forbid the state from legalizing any psychoactive drug in the future that wasn’t already legal in 2020, including any medical breakthroughs not permitted and recognized in Idaho statute. Dr. Dan Zuckerman, a veteran cancer oncologist at St. Luke’s Medical Center in …
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Democratic lawmakers presented a slate of legislative priorities for the 2021 session in a news conference Monday at the Statehouse in Boise. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, and House Minority Leader Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, discussed potential legislation with members of the media during the event, and also issued a response to Gov. Brad Little’s State of the …
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A hundred years ago, in 1920, the United States came out of the First World War and celebrated a new decade and a changing world. The world was recovering from the Spanish flu pandemic, the automobile industry was beginning to take off, and Americans wrestled with Prohibition. The country was undergoing drastic changes in industry, culture, politics, and so much …
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2020 is an unprecedented year. Although residents of South-Central Idaho continue to face hardships that defy imagination, our communities have proven their resolve through a heroic commitment to stand together in this time of need. 2020 will surely be seen as a major historical juncture for years to come. Lost amidst all of this year’s turmoil, however, has been another …
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