The House Minority Caucus unveiled its “Idaho Working Families Agenda,” a comprehensive plan to deliver tax benefits to working families and boost critical education investments to help Idaho children learn basic skills, including reading. House Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, presented the proposal during a virtual news conference at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday with members of the media. Necochea …
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Lawmakers will introduce a bipartisan bill to penalize targeted residential picketing in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee. The legislation is drafted by Reps. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, and Brooke Green, D-Boise, and aims to protect one’s privacy within the home, irrespective of their chosen profession. The pair said targeted picketing applies to someone who demonstrates outside an individual’s residence …
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Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City, introduced House Bill 52 Wednsday to protect LGBTQ young people from the harmful practice of conversion therapy. Several major health organizations have discredited conversion therapy. According to the Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, individuals under 18 who had undergone conversion therapy attempted suicide at more than twice the rate as …
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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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The Idaho Joint Democratic Caucus issued the following response Monday in regard to a recent statement released by the Idaho House Republican Caucus: It is ridiculous for GOP leadership to suggest the motion was brought for publicity or fundraising purposes. Every effort was made to resolve this issue in a non-public way, but those efforts were systematically shot down. Friday’s …
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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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On Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers demonstrated their continued commitment to restoring fairness to Idaho’s property tax system, and presented multiple proposals to better protect homeowners as home prices rapidly rise. Sen. Grant Burgoyne, Rep. John Gannon, and Rep. Lauren Necochea, each of whom have done extensive work on the subject, discussed the various pieces of upcoming property tax legislation with members …
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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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