A motion to allow for remote testimony was denied Friday in Idaho House of Representatives in a 49-to-11 vote. Rep. Muffy Davis, D-Ketchum, made the motion just after the House convened at 9 a.m. It applied to individuals who have a physical impairment putting them at increased risk of suffering life-threatening consequences if they were to contract COVID-19, like Davis, …
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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 common refrain heard from the chorus of folks who view public health measures as an affront to their rights is, “What would the founders think?” While speculating about the hypothetical political opinions of people who died a quarter-millennium ago may be a questionable way to govern ourselves today, for those who believe the secrets of liberty lie somewhere in …
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Dear Governor Little, Idaho is at a crossroads and human lives are at stake. As Nurse Connelly said during your press conference, 3,000 people died in the U.S. from COVID-19 today alone. That is more than the number of lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack. The people who have died are not just numbers on a spreadsheet. They had …
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On Friday, Governor Brad Little announced that the Idaho National Guard would be mobilized through executive order to assist in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. He also rolled Idaho back to Stage 2 of the Idaho Rebounds plan with modifications to the previously outlined guidelines. Under the new Stage 2 plan, gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited …
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On Monday, Governor Little announced in a press conference that Idaho would be moved back to Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan. On October 27, 2020 at 12:00 am MST, the following restrictions will be put in effect: Indoor gatherings will be limited to 50 or less people Outdoor gatherings will stay at 25% capacity of less Social distancing …
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The special session was more dangerous and uncivil that Idaho citizens could have ever predicted. The week before the special session of the Idaho Legislature began, Idaho Democratic legislators met (virtually) to discuss how to be safe and healthy. We had hoped that there would be some precautions in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus, even if they were …
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Idaho State Capitol – In the committees’ most recent meeting, CFAC allocated $69,052.43 of CARES act funding to the Boise Police Department (BPD). The funding will pay for the officers’ service during the special session of the Idaho legislature in late August. This is on top of the amount of $76 thousand dollars that was allocated last week for the …
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On Friday afternoon, Governor Little announced that he would use $99 million from the CARES act to supplement the $99 million in education cuts that he announced earlier this year. Representative Melissa Wintrow/(D-Boise) was relieved to hear the announcement from the Governor. “As a Representative on the ground floor of education funding and the handling of the state’s budget as …
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As we face a global pandemic and the resulting economic fallout, Idahoans may have been hopeful about the legislature’s recent special session. Since the pandemonium at the Statehouse dominated the news, Idahoans may still be wondering what was actually accomplished. The answer, unfortunately, is not much. Republican legislators spent most of the time pandering to the far right, and the …
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