Ultimate Guide on the Economy for Idaho's 2012 Legislative Session

Background

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Idaho State Capitol building in Boise

On January 9th, Idaho’s Legislature will convene in Boise for its annual session. StateImpact Idaho will be focusing our coverage on how proposals and policy decisions impact Idahoans and the area economy. We’ve been interviewing leading lawmakers in the run-up to session and have compiled various resources to help you get involved or stay informed.

The Basics

What Lawmakers are Saying

These posts are a series of Q & A’s we did during the weeks leading up to the 2012 Legislative session. Each conversation focused around job creation, tax policy and the state budget.

The Issues We’re Following

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s View

We interviewed Governor Otter in December 2011, a few weeks in advance of the 2012 session. We asked him about some of the major issues we’ll be following and posted a series of videos and Q & A’s. Here are all of those segments in one place:

Lobbyists Influencing Decision Makers

The list of lobbyists and the organizations they represent shift from year to year. Lobbyists are required to register with the Secretary of State before each session (and pay a $10 registration fee). Lobbyists are also required to submit monthly reports detailing how much money they’ve spent on things like food, entertainment and travel for lawmakers and advertizing for their cause.

Tobacco, Education Lobbyists Top Spenders During 2011 Session

Latest Posts

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March 14, 2012

Otter’s Plan To Stimulate Idaho’s Tech Economy Becomes Law

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has signed into law his plan to kick-start collaboration between university researchers and private industry. Otter’s IGEM, the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission, spends $5 million to spur local innovation through research. The plan sets aside $1 million in Idaho Department of Commerce grants for start-up businesses, $2 million for the Center […]

March 12, 2012

Plan To Raise Idaho’s Cigarette Tax Fails

Idaho lawmakers won’t take up a plan to raise the state’s cigarette tax. The House Revenue and Taxation Committee killed a bill that would have done just that by a 11 to 5 vote. The plan, supported by the American Cancer Society and about 25 other groups, would have raised Idaho’s cigarette tax by $1.25 […]

March 9, 2012

Medicaid Funding Includes Reversal Of Key Cuts

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning voted in support of a $1.9 billion Medicaid budget. That appropriation includes $1.5 million to reverse two key Medicaid cuts approved last year. It will cost $900,000 to rectify the dual choice problem, according to Division of Medicaid estimates. Reinstating preventative and restorative dental services for adults who are […]

March 7, 2012

February Tax Collections Exceed Expectations

General fund tax collections have exceeded forecasts for three straight months, putting revenue almost $33 million above the forecast for the fiscal year. The Division of Financial Management reports February tax collections were nearly $20 million above projections. DFM says it’s the largest surplus of the fiscal year.

March 6, 2012

House Lawmakers To Consider Restoring Key Medicaid Services

The House Health and Welfare Committee has given unanimous support to a bill that would reinstate key Medicaid services, in the wake of deep cuts last session. “Since the legislation was passed last year, we have learned more about the impact of some of these cuts on certain populations,” Chairwoman Rep. Janice McGeachin (R-Idaho Falls) […]

March 5, 2012

Plan To Reverse Key Medicaid Cuts Gets A Hearing

A ranking House Republican is sponsoring a bill to reverse key cuts in Medicaid services. Rep. Janice McGeachin (R-Idaho Falls) chairs the House Health and Welfare Committee. That committee oversaw the state’s process of reining in Medicaid services as the state’s economy suffered the effects of the downturn. Rep. McGeachin now says lawmakers made one […]

March 1, 2012

Tax Cut For Idaho’s Top Earners Passes House

A bill to cut Idaho’s top corporate and individual income tax rate overwhelmingly passed the House this afternoon. House Bill 563 would cut the top individual income tax rate from 7.8 percent to 7.4 percent and the top corporate rate from 7.6 percent to 7.4 percent. It would cost the state an estimated $35.7 million […]

February 29, 2012

A Plan In The Works To Reverse Key Medicaid Cuts

Draft legislation to reverse some of the Medicaid service cuts approved in recent years has been introduced in a House committee. That’s according to the Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities. Marilyn Sword, the group’s executive director, says Rep. Janice McGeachin (R-Idaho Falls) has been working on the proposal. Rep. McGeachin, who chairs the House Health […]

February 28, 2012

Legislative Roundup: Tax Cut Bill Moves Forward and Two New Industry Tax Breaks

A handful of new tax and spending bills are making their way through the Legislature this week. Here’s an update of what’s happening and what we’re watching. Tax Cuts A bill to reduce the income and corporate tax rates of Idaho’s top earners got an initial nod of approval from the House tax committee. The […]

February 24, 2012

Budget Setting: How It Works, Why You Should Care

The Idaho Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee began budget setting in earnest this week, after weeks of hearings. Writing the budget is the legislature’s only constitutional requirement, and it has to be balanced. For a primer on the nuts and bolts of the process, StateImpact reached out to Cathy Holland-Smith. She oversees budget and policy analysis […]

Ultimate Guide on the Economy for Idaho's 2012 Legislative Session

Background

The Basics

What Lawmakers are Saying

The Issues We’re Following

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter’s View

Lobbyists Influencing Decision Makers

Key Stories

January 9, 2012

January 2, 2012

December 29, 2011