What to Watch: Week of March 20, 2023

While the 2023 Legislative Session is winding down, we are still tracking bills here, including House Bill 292 (property tax relief), House Bill 236 (public defense reform), and Senate Concurrent Resolution 101 (Support for EMS Sustainability Taskforce). Seth Grigg discusses H292 and H236 in his From the Executive Director article this week, so I am …

What to Watch: Week of March 13, 2023

This week, we have three bills that we are tracking very closely. Two are bills that we support, regarding public defense and vape tax, and one is a bill that we oppose. Last Thursday, the State Public Defender Act (House Bill 236) passed the House. It is scheduled for a full hearing in Senate Judiciary …

What to Watch: Week of March 6, 2023

For years now, the Idaho Association of Counties has supported the taxation of vape products, creating a parody with the tax of tobacco products and, more importantly, providing additional funding for youth prevention and awareness of the dangers of vaping. This was an IAC priority in 2022 and again this year. With the introduction of …

IAC Legislative Committee Meets in Person this March

Members of IAC’s Legislative Committee met today in downtown Boise for their hybrid meeting to discuss updates on the 2023 Legislative Package that includes IGA-06 Preliminary Levy Rate, Vape Tax – H0199, and H0085 – DMV Title Fees, among others. They also focused on new business, where public defense, the broadband equipment exemption, and others …

What to Watch: Week of February 27, 2023

  Tomorrow, we expect House Bill 150 to receive a hearing in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. The IAC Legislative Committee chose to take an opposed position to H0150. The following are talking points that can be used when discussing with House Members why IAC opposes the bill. – According to Idaho Session Laws, …

What to Watch: Week of February 20, 2023

Today, House Bill 85 (DMV Title Admin Fees an IAC Priority) will be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee at 1:30 pm. You can watch the proceedings by clicking this link. We encourage IAC members to please reach out to your Senators to encourage them to support House Bill 85 when it comes to the …

What to Watch: Week of February 13, 2023

Monday was the deadline for bills to be introduced in Idaho’s Legislature, so we should see things slow down a bit regarding new bill introductory hearings. IAC is currently tracking around 70 bills, and information about them can be found on the IAC Bill Tracker. The tracker is an excellent resource for members to understand …

What to Watch: Week of February 6, 2023

Last week, three IAC policies (S1034 on Court fee deadlines; S1035 Court fees, change of venues; and S1041 on County Treasurer Investments) and two IAC priorities (H0070 revisions to CAT fund repeal and H0085 DMV title administration fees) were introduced in the House or Senate. This week, we expect to see movement on these bills and a newly introduced resolution (SCR101 Emergency medical services, …

What to Watch: Week of January 30, 2023

This week will be busy in the statehouse as we gather for IAC’s Midwinter Legislative Conference. The wheels of government in the Legislature are beginning to turn, so we should see multiple IAC policies along with two IAC priorities receive introductory hearings before the week is over. Legislative committees use introductory hearings to determine whether …

IAC Legislative Committee Meets in Person for the First Time in 2023

IAC’s Legislative Committee held their first in-person meeting of 2023 this week in Downtown Boise. Members who couldn’t attend in person participated remotely. Property tax relief remains a focus of the 2023 legislative session and a priority for Idaho’s counties. “We have a hardworking committee with clear legislative priorities,” said Twin Falls County Commissioner Don …