CRIMES BY OFFICIALS
Senate passes A.G. investigating bill
Legislation to put the state Attorney General in charge of investigating civil or criminal law violations by county elected officials, including open-meeting-law violations, passed the Senate 34-0 and now moves to the House.
Six Canyon County lawmakers are co-sponsoring SB 1080, after that county's experience with disgraced former county Prosecutor John Bujak.
The bill calls for adding an additional deputy attorney general and an investigator in the Idaho AG's office, at a cost of $212,600 a year, to create a new unit.
Betsy Z. Russell,Spokesman-Review
INTERNET SERVICES
House: Exclude tax on cloud computing
The House voted 65-2 on Monday to eliminate so-called cloud-computing ser-vices from being charged a sales tax by the state. The bill now goes to the Senate.
The Idaho Technology Council asked for the measure after the Idaho Tax Commission interpreted a 1993 state law as saying software is taxable property, no matter how it is delivered.
In cloud computing, people or companies rent computing services or storage space over a network, rather than buy actual software.
Betsy Z. Russell
GUN LAWS
House backs bill on gun confiscation
A measure that would make it a misdemeanor for law enforcement officials in Idaho to help enforce any new federal firearms restrictions or registration requirements was approved on a 55-13 party-line vote.
The bill could bring jail time and fines to sheriff's deputies and police officers - or other government employees - who help federal agents confiscate any newly banned firearms or ammunition.
The measure now heads to the Senate .
The Associated Press
COOKIE TAXES
House committee likes Girl Scout bill
The House Revenue and Tax Committee passed a bill Monday exempting the Idaho Girl Scouts' cookie program from state sales tax.
That tax - now at 22 cents per box - generates about $140,000 annually.
The Associated Press
LIQUOR LICENSE
Nez Perce measure moves to Senate
The Senate State Affairs Committee agreed it makes sense to give a liquor license to the Nez Perce tribe for its new convention center on the Clearwater River.
The Nez Perce need an exemption under Idaho's strict 1947 liquor law that is meant to promote temperance. The law forbids liquor licenses outside city limits.
The Associated Press
ED TAX CREDIT
Revised tax-credit measure introduced
A measure giving tax credits to individuals or businesses who donate to private and religious schools has been introduced in a House committee.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee voted along party lines with a Republican-led vote Monday to introduce the bill that offers tax breaks to people and companies that give scholar-ships to students who are attending private schools.
The bill would provide an estimated $10 million yearly in tax credits to donors.
The Associated Press
HIGHER ED
Budget writers OK maintenance boost
Idaho budget writers approved $12.5 million to start addressing an estimated $700 million worth of deferred maintenance needs at the state's colleges and universities.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee is using money from Idaho's Permanent Building Fund to help cover the cost of some repairs at the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Boise State University and Lewis-Clark State college.
Betsy Z. Russell
CITIZEN INITIATIVES
Senate OKs new initiative hurdles
A bill requiring that signatures be gathered from 6 percent of registered voters in 18 of Idaho's 35 legislative districts to qualify an initiative for the ballot passed the Senate Monday on a 25-10 vote. The bill now goes to the House.
Currently, Idaho requires signatures from 6 percent of voters statewide, without a geographic requirement.
Associated Press
SCHOOL SAFETY
Teachers not part of school-security bill
Senators declined to amend a bill aimed at making Idaho schools safer, voting against adding teachers and school superintendents to the list of those responsible for crafting new security plans.
Under the measure from GOP Sen. Marv Hagedorn, it would be up to elected county sheriffs and school trustees to create the plans, which could eventually include allowing teachers and bus drivers to carry firearms.
The Senate still must vote on the bill.
Associated Press
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