Idaho Legislature

U.S. Republican Congressman Raul Labrador involved himself in the fallout of failed Idaho legislation that would have brought the state into compliance with federal child support rules and an international treaty.

Labrador says he doesn't have a position on the issue. However, the tea party-favorite told The Associated Press that he reviewed an April 12 editorial sent out by a key lawmaker after the vote.

State police will build a new headquarters in southeast Idaho sometime next year.

The Idaho State Journal reports that the state legislature authorized $5.4 million to construct a new 24,000-square-foot facility in Pocatello.

Idaho lawmakers finished the 2015 legislative session early Saturday morning, boasting major funding increases for Idaho's teachers and completing a last-minute proposal to address the state's crumbling roads and bridges.

The session stretched nearly two weeks past when legislative leaders had optimistically estimated they would adjourn, winning a spot as one of the top five longest legislative sessions in Idaho's history. The longest session was in 2009, when it lasted 119 days.

A six-member joint panel has reached a compromise that would partially address Idaho's roads funding shortfall.

The new plan was passed unanimously by the Legislature's special joint conference committee on Friday afternoon after two full days of negotiations. The proposal would raise $95 million — far short of the $262 million annual shortfall the state has faced for road maintenance since 2010.

The Idaho House has overwhelmingly approved a plan to increase Idaho's grocery tax credit by $10 per person.

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee introduced the plan less than two hours earlier on Thursday morning. The House then voted 68-1 to send the proposal to the Senate.

House Majority Leader Mike Moyle from Star is backing the proposal. The legislation is estimated to cost almost $14 million in general fund dollars.

Legislation seeking to end a retirement bonus for state lawmakers who take high-paying state jobs at the end of their careers died Wednesday.

Senate State Affairs Chairman Curt McKenzie tells The Spokesman-Review that the bill will not receive a committee hearing.

The bill had already passed the House on a narrow 38-32 vote.

Two years ago, Idaho lawmakers approved  instant horse racing, which allows people to gamble using past races. Since that time, instant racing machines have been set up at three Idaho locations; Garden City, Post Falls and Idaho Falls.

Legislation that would increase Idaho's public school funding and boost salary increases for teachers has only one remaining hurdle.

The Idaho House approved all seven pieces of the state's largest budget with almost no discussion on Monday, sending the bills to the governor's desk.

None of the bills — a combined $1.4 billion in general funds — garnered more than seven votes in opposition.

Under the proposals, public schools funding will increase by 7.4 percent to help fund the first year of the new teacher pay increase.

Idaho lawmakers Monday passed a bill to allow parents to treat epileptic children with an oil extracted from cannabis. Idaho’s House approved the bill 39-30 after more than an hour of intense debate.

Opponents, such as Rep. Luke Malek, R- Coeur d’Alene, argued the bill legalizes marijuana because the oil has small amounts of the chemical that makes pot users high.

“This bill changes the approach Idaho has taken to drug policy and does so based on anecdote not scientific evidence,” Malek said.

This post was updated April 7, 2015

The Idaho Senate has failed to override Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's veto on legislation that would have made roughly 250 slot-like betting machines in Idaho illegal,

However, senators passed three letters questioning the legality of Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's notification actions.

The Senate voted 19-16 on Monday, just five votes shy of the required two-thirds support needed to flip a veto in a chamber.