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Your Guide To The 2013 Idaho Legislature

Background

Emilie Ritter Saunders / StateImpact

Idaho's Senate Chamber sits empty nine months out of the year. Lawmakers typically in session from Jan. until late March or early April.

This page will no longer be updated. For future coverage of Idaho’s legislature go to Boise State Public Radio’s website.

Idaho’s 2013 Legislature convened in Boise on January 7. We’ve put together a guide to the session, including ways to contact your lawmaker, how to get involved, and comprehensive information about the people elected to office.

The Basics

Exploring the Demographics of Idaho’s 2013 Legislature

What Lawmakers Are Saying

Before the start of the 2013 legislative session, we sat down with a few key lawmakers to discuss a handful of issues. We focused on three areas sure to be hot topics; education funding, economic development and taxes, and healthcare.

State of the State Address

Latest Posts

From Education To Tax Cuts, Idaho’s New House Speaker Weighs In On Key Issues

The Idaho Legislature convenes January 7.  Over the last month, StateImpact sat down with lawmakers to discuss the most anticipated issues of the coming session. Rep. Scott Bedke is a rancher from Oakley, Idaho.  He was elected Speaker of the House in December, defeating Rep. Lawerence Denney, who had served in that post for three […]

Sen. Goedde: The Best Way To Equalize Idaho Schools Is Through Digital Learning

State Sen. John Goedde is a Republican from Coeur d’Alene. He’s chairman of the Senate’s Education Committee. It’s a panel that will be closely watched during the upcoming legislative session as lawmakers figure out what to do now that voters rejected three sweeping education laws. We spoke with Goedde earlier this month to get his […]

Sen. Keough: Idaho Must Define ‘Adequate And Thorough’ To Fund Education

North Idaho lawmaker Shawn Keough just started her 9th term in the Idaho Legislature. For 18 years she’s been representing Idaho’s 1st Senate District, that’s Bonner and Boundary Counties. Keough, a Senate Republican, has spent much of her tenure on the Legislature’s main budget committee, JFAC. In advance of the legislative session that starts Jan. […]

Sen. Stennett: Idaho Must Invest In Infrastructure To Be Competitive

Ahead of Idaho’s legislative session we sat down with some key lawmakers to ask about issues we’ve been following here at StateImpact Idaho over the last 18 months. We’re also looking at some of the issues that are sure to be debated once the gavel falls on Jan. 7, opening day. We begin with Senate […]

Idaho Tax Commission Releases Comprehensive Report Ahead Of Likely Legislative Battle

The Idaho State Tax Commission has published a comprehensive report detailing the state’s personal property tax. The 51-page report offers a clear picture of just how reliant some  city and county governments have become on the business equipment tax. The report is significant, since many lawmakers say the coming legislative session will include heavy debate […]

Idaho Rep. Patterson Clarifies Education Background After False Info Spread

A freshman Idaho legislator says online information about his education that was posted until recently isn’t true. Republican Rep. Mark Patterson tells The Associated Press a staffer misunderstood the college he attended, and assumed he graduated. Patterson tells the AP his staffer posted the inaccurate information on Patterson’s Facebook page. That information was then gathered […]

For Idaho’s Legislative Record, Should Audio And Video Be Archived?

Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey today wrote this blog post that raises this question: should the video or audio record of legislative proceedings be archived? Since the Capitol’s recent upgrade, nearly every legislative committee hearing, and House and Senate floor session has been broadcast through Idaho Public Television. Those broadcasts are recorded, and according to […]

The Data: Idaho Legislators’ Educational Backgrounds

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been writing about the demographic make-up of the 2013 Idaho Legislature and how demographics can influence policy. We’ve explored lawmakers’ occupations, their ages, the male-female split, religious affiliation, and education. Then, we got this tweet: So, here’s the data.

Legislators’ Religions Align Closely With Idahoans, Except For Catholics And Mormons

More than 40 percent of Idaho legislators identify themselves as Protestant.  That’s in-line with religious affiliation for Idaho’s general population, which according to a 2008 survey from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, found 38 percent of Idahoans identify as Protestant. Data Sources: Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Project Vote Smart, […]

What’s Next, Now That Gov. Otter Has Opted For A State-Based Exchange?

Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter recommends Idaho build a state-based health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act.  In his Tuesday announcement, Otter said there will be a health insurance exchange in Idaho; the only question is who will build it.  It’s important, the governor said, for Idaho to have a seat at the table. StateImpact […]

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