In a bold, session ending type of move, the Senate adjourned until Monday hoping to get the House moving on transportation funding bills. House transportation leaders won’t give up the tax hike bills unless they get full passage of an audit. Grrr.
A film incentive bill passes a Senate committee, heads to full vote for final passage. Otter tells Boise State Radio about his Democrat dad. And today was supposed to be the last day of the session… in today’s Newsrack.
[still updating… patience please…]
McGee approves ITD audit, tells House to send funding bills. Otter to House: “I told them, ‘I think everybody should give up something for Lent.’ I think they should give up their registration bills. Miller, AP in the Times-News. Proposed registration fees would hit schools, counties, cities too. Ferguson in the LMT [subscrip]. Dems want gas tax hike. Druzin in the Statesman.
Otter vetoes $16.8 million for drug treatment programs. Not enough data that it works. Sen. Cameron: “We have to either re-do the budget or have to consider whether or not we override the governor. It’s important to understand that what we did in that budget was not an increase over what we did last year. This was a maintenance of effort. We did not want to go backwards.” Russell in the Spokesman. Miller, AP in the Times-News. Hopkins in the Times-News.
Grocery tax credit to rise a bit. Most folks will get $10 more… poor Idahoans will get $50. But it’s going to go up every year. Shifrin, AP in the Statesman. Langhorst: “We just took the sales tax off uranium enrichment and now we have to decide whether to give some relief to Idaho’s families.” Hopkins in the Times-News. Dems roll, Jorgenson wants the food tax gone completely. Russell in the Spokesman. Stegner does not like annual increase in credit. Ferguson in the LMT.
Film industry bribery bill passes another committee. Offers sales tax rebates to film crews that come to Idaho, but no funding for the rebates attached. Stegner: “Nowhere else have we set up a specific fund to bribe businesses to come to the state and receive a 20 percent discount. I don’t think this is something the state of Idaho should engage in.” Dey in the Statesman.
Davis wants to know how REAL ID protest will affect INL. ACLU’s Saona: “The point of the bill is to not implement Real ID at all. Some of the states, including Montana, are not applying for the waiver.” Hearing continues next week. Goins in the CDA Press.
Otter talks about his view from the Borah Building. And his pops. Dad ran as a Democrat. “I never campaigned for or against my dad.” Wimberly on Boise State Radio. [audio]
