Idaho Legislature COVID-19 Outbreak Idaho Republicans have declined to institute safety measures such as a mask mandate or social distancing. The House speaker said he had no regrets about their policies.FromA COVID-19 outbreak in the Idaho Legislature has sidelined lawmakers for more than two weeks as they try to get infections under control. House lawmakers recessed Friday until April 6, with the Senate following suit shortly afterward. "It was not our plan to do this yet," said Senate Pro Tem Chuck Winder, a Boise Republican. "We wanted to work and try and have all of our business done...…Idaho Legislature COVID-19 Outbreak Idaho Republicans have declined to institute safety measures such as a mask mandate or social distancing. The House speaker said he had no regrets about their policies.FromA COVID-19 outbreak in the Idaho Legislature has sidelined lawmakers for more than two weeks as they try to get infections under control. House lawmakers recessed Friday until April 6, with the Senate following suit shortly afterward. "It was not our plan to do this yet," said Senate Pro Tem Chuck Winder, a Boise Republican. "We wanted to work and try and have all of our business done...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsIdaho senators gave a thumbs up to a bill Monday that would make it significantly harder to get an initiative on the ballot.Just two Republicans joined all seven Democrats in voting against the proposal. would force campaigns to gather signatures from 6% of registered voters from all 35 of Idaho’s legislative districts. Right now, they only need to collect those signatures from 18 legislative districts.If approved, Idaho would become the only state with an initiative or referendum process that...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsIdaho senators gave a thumbs up to a bill Monday that would make it significantly harder to get an initiative on the ballot.Just two Republicans joined all seven Democrats in voting against the proposal. would force campaigns to gather signatures from 6% of registered voters from all 35 of Idaho’s legislative districts. Right now, they only need to collect those signatures from 18 legislative districts.If approved, Idaho would become the only state with an initiative or referendum process that...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.An Idaho legislative hearing Wednesday devolved into a screaming match at times over a bill to criminalize protests at someone’s home.Tensions were high at the outset. The bill from Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell) would make it a misdemeanor to target anyone – whether they’re a public official or not – and picket in front of their home.Chaney said he’s not trying to...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.An Idaho legislative hearing Wednesday devolved into a screaming match at times over a bill to criminalize protests at someone’s home.Tensions were high at the outset. The bill from Rep. Greg Chaney (R-Caldwell) would make it a misdemeanor to target anyone – whether they’re a public official or not – and picket in front of their home.Chaney said he’s not trying to...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsThe Idaho legislature will once again consider a bill to make it harder for residents to get an initiative on the ballot.Right now, campaign organizers have to hit two benchmarks to put an issue before voters:That works out to a minimum of 64,946 total signatures, with signature totals by district varying across the state.Sen. Steve Vick’s (R-Dalton Gardens) bill introduced Friday morning would force campaigns to collect that 6% threshold in every legislative district.“It seems clear to me that as the...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsThe Idaho legislature will once again consider a bill to make it harder for residents to get an initiative on the ballot.Right now, campaign organizers have to hit two benchmarks to put an issue before voters:That works out to a minimum of 64,946 total signatures, with signature totals by district varying across the state.Sen. Steve Vick’s (R-Dalton Gardens) bill introduced Friday morning would force campaigns to collect that 6% threshold in every legislative district.“It seems clear to me that as the...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsThe Idaho House is pushing pause on a bill that would outlaw a practice known to critics as "ballot harvesting."Ballot harvesting, or what some call ballot collecting, is when you fill out an absentee ballot, sign it and then give it to someone else to drop off at an official collection point.Healthcare workers in Idaho, for instance, .The bill would make it a felony to do so if enacted. Family members could only drop off two ballots at a time.“We are trying to prevent with this bill Idaho going down...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsThe Idaho House is pushing pause on a bill that would outlaw a practice known to critics as "ballot harvesting."Ballot harvesting, or what some call ballot collecting, is when you fill out an absentee ballot, sign it and then give it to someone else to drop off at an official collection point.Healthcare workers in Idaho, for instance, .The bill would make it a felony to do so if enacted. Family members could only drop off two ballots at a time.“We are trying to prevent with this bill Idaho going down...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.The Idaho legislature is moving swiftly to use $4 million in taxpayer dollars to refresh its depleted legal defense funds as Republican leaders face multiple lawsuits claiming they haven’t done enough to ensure the safety of those with disabilities at the state Capitol during the pandemic.A bill introduced Thursday noted that an “emergency” exists to make that...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.The Idaho legislature is moving swiftly to use $4 million in taxpayer dollars to refresh its depleted legal defense funds as Republican leaders face multiple lawsuits claiming they haven’t done enough to ensure the safety of those with disabilities at the state Capitol during the pandemic.A bill introduced Thursday noted that an “emergency” exists to make that...WW…

© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.A group of Idaho lawmakers is pushing a bill that would strip the power of public health districts to close schools during an emergency or mandate masks to prevent the spread of disease.Members of the Education Working Group Monday overwhelmingly voted for the proposal. Many lawmakers said local school board members should be making these decisions, as opposed to...…© 2022 Boise State Public RadioNPR in IdahoPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsBoise State Public Radio News is here to keep you current on the news surrounding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.A group of Idaho lawmakers is pushing a bill that would strip the power of public health districts to close schools during an emergency or mandate masks to prevent the spread of disease.Members of the Education Working Group Monday overwhelmingly voted for the proposal. Many lawmakers said local school board members should be making these decisions, as opposed to...WW…