Represntative Carlos Bilbao

Perhaps the Idaho Department of commerce didnt't get the memo about the states's sliding economy and the need to cut state budgets. For almost a month, legislators have been trying to make ends meet on a budget. With declining revenues coming into the state, there is little choice but to make cuts in education, health and welfare and other worthwhile programs...read more

By Reps. Darrell Bolz and Pat Takasugi (District 10) and Reps. Steven Thayn and Carlost Bilbao (District 12)

Recently, an editorial appeared in another newspaper that carried this headline: "No federal funds yet, but plan for them anyway." The editorial suggests that the Legislature should think proactively and develop a strategy to invest the dollars wisely - areas that "will foster...read more

The Governor has presented his plan for funding highway maintenance projects in Idaho, and now the debate begins. As the Governor acknowledged in his news conference last week at the State Capitol Annex, his is only one proposal. No doubt, many more proposals will surface in the House and Senate Transportation Committees and we will be debating those as they come up.

As your State Representatives...read more

By Senator Brent Hill

As the citizens of Idaho feel the ever-increasing burden of property taxes, they are seeking other alternatives to fund local needs. Because property taxes have generally been the only viable option for residents to finance street maintenance, sewer and water systems, school improvements, etc., the State Legislature is looking at ways to grant limited local option taxing authority...read more

By Senator Joyce Broadsword

Recently I set off a media firestorm by proposing legislation in the Idaho Senate that would terminate the Idaho Women's Commission. There have been many suggestions regarding my motives that are disappointing in the least, but repugnant to me as a legislator and a woman at worst.

We are facing the toughest budgetary year since I was elected to the Legislature five...read more

By Senator Lee Heinrich

This past week I traveled to San Diego with my Senate colleague, Senator Tim Corder and our House colleague Representative Tom Trail. We had been invited to the 8th Annual Legislative Ag Chairs Meeting, which is the premier event for agriculture legislators from the US, Canada and Mexico to meet and discuss the great challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in our...read more

Symbols Do Matter

By Dr. Jasper M. LiCalzi

In the Idaho Statesman Blog: "Inside Politics"

I was very proud of my state representative, Darrell Bolz, for proposing the resolution to have the state legislature forego their pay raise and other benefit changes during the next two years. Some will try to argue that this is just symbolic window dressing that will not have a significant...read more

THE IDAHO STATESMAN "INSIDE THE IDAHO STATE LEGISLATURE"

BY BRIAN MURPHY

Beware foreignoregonian!

A bill by Rep. Stephen Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, would expand the state's harassment law to include e-mail and Internet postings. The bill is in response to the infamous MySpace case, which led the suicide of a teen-age girl in Missouri.

Currently the law includes telephone harassment...read more

By Representative Tom Loertscher

Being on the House Health and Welfare Committee has been one those bitter sweet experiences for me over the years. With the exposure that I have had to all sorts of programs, it has given me some insights thatnot many around this place get to see. And as we have been looking these past couple of weeks at the effect of budget cuts on real people it is leading...read more

I am concerned about the approximately 4800 students that did not graduate from Idaho's high schools last year. As the attached fact sheet shows, the negative impact on our Idaho economy is tremendous.

I believe we are sending a negative message to the youth by making it "legal" to drop out of high school at age 16 with no questions asked. I am proposing changing the law to age 18 or...read more

By Senator John McGee

This week in the Idaho Legislature we have been focusing on budget cuts with the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. For most of this week we have been listening to presentations regarding Medicaid benefits, and we are faced with these tough decisions largely because of the current state of the economy.

One important distinction to remember is the difference between our...read more