BOISE — A bill to make some changes to Idaho's law regulating drones, including under what circumstances police can use them, was introduced into the Legislature on Tuesday.

BOISE — A bill to double the amount of sales tax revenue that goes into a fund that finances road projects that relieve congestion is headed to the full House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four members of the House of Representatives introduced a resolution Wednesday urging Major League Baseball not to follow through with its proposal to eliminate 42 current minor league teams.

BOISE — Three weeks into the 2020 legislative session, the Idaho House and Senate continue to search for an acceptable resolution to their administrative rules dispute.

BOISE — A joint memorial asking the federal government to speed up the permitting process for a new phosphate mine in southeastern Idaho is headed to the full House.

BOISE — Last week, the third of the 2020 legislative session, state officials and lawmakers:

Senate

BOISE — Three years into an ambitious 10-year plan to reduce Idaho’s physician shortage by increasing residencies for newly trained doctors in the state, Idaho’s risen from 49th in the nation for primary care doctors per capita to 45th.

BOISE — Police chiefs from across the state of Idaho joined with insurance interests, motorcycle groups, Sen. Chuck Winder and more on Thursday to back a proposed new statewide hands-free law for drivers.

POCATELLO — Congressmen Mike Simpson explained his case against impeaching President Donald Trump following a press conference Thursday. He called the effort to impeach Trump “a sham” and said he thought the accusations brought against the president didn’t rise to the level of impeachable offenses.

POCATELLO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers and Congressman Mike Simpson announced a long-anticipated change to environmental regulations Thursday at Holt Arena amid a backdrop of tractors and combines for an agricultural equipment trade show.

BOISE — Climate change is exaggerated and, to the extent that it's real, it's mostly good, a senior fellow at the Heartland Institute told Idaho lawmakers Thursday.

BOISE — A bill to get rid of daylight saving time in the state was introduced into the Idaho House on Thursday.

BOISE — The Idaho Legislature is fast-tracking a resolution commemorating the history of the Bonneville Hotel in Idaho Falls, hoping to have it in place in time for an opening ceremony at the newly renovated downtown landmark next week.

BOISE — Gov. Brad Little has named Terry Kirkham, of Idaho Falls, to the state Commission of Pardons and Parole.

BOISE — Many Idaho state employees will soon be eligible for eight weeks of paid parental leave under an executive order Gov. Brad Little signed Wednesday.

BOISE — Four bills that would make big changes to sales and property taxes in Idaho were introduced Wednesday.

Idaho Falls-area businessman Brady Belliston announced Tuesday that he’s seeking the Republican nomination for Bonneville County Commissioner District 2.

BOISE — The internal medicine residency program at Bingham Memorial Hospital has lost its accreditation and will shut down after the current class graduates in June.

BOISE — A local lawmaker plans to introduce a resolution supporting the use of Native American symbols by schools and other groups and discouraging their removal absent “a careful and effective public process.”

BOISE — Several bills were introduced in the House Transportation Committee today, including a fee hike on people registering new vehicles and a local lawmaker’s bill to put some new limits on towing/ticketing companies that enforce parking violations.

BOISE — Idahoans who want to vote in this year’s presidential primary may want to check now to make sure they’re registered with their party of choice.

BOISE — Getting to work every day and caring for children can prove dangerous for many undocumented people in rural Idaho who drive without a license. In the session’s first week, it appeared the Legislature would discuss a bill that would allow undocumented people to apply for a license, bu…

BOISE — Last week, the second of the 2020 legislative session, state officials and lawmakers:

Senate

BOISE — The state treasurer’s office stopped doing business with Sunwest Bank last fall, with Treasurer Julie Ellsworth accusing an influential lawmaker who works there of using his position to try to get more business.

BOISE — Growing up in the Followers of Christ community, Linda Martin knew about multiple children around her who died without medical care, she told a group gathered Thursday afternoon at the Capitol for a discussion on faith-healing.

BOISE — The Idaho House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to expel North Idaho Rep. John Green, a day after he was convicted on felony charges in Texas and refused to resign his Idaho House seat.

BOISE — Some state employees could get a slightly higher pay bump than what Gov. Brad Little recommended if a legislative committee’s recommendation makes it into the final budget.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate opened the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump with quiet ceremony Thursday — senators standing at their desks to swear an oath of “impartial justice” as jurors, House prosecutors formally reciting the charges and Chief Justice John Roberts presiding.

BOISE — All three branches of Idaho’s state government need to join together to “chart a new course forward” on dealing with the mentally ill, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Burdick told lawmakers on Wednesday.

BOISE — Idaho’s famous potatoes helped turn McDonald’s into a global fast-food franchise, but can they unite the partisan warriors in Congress?

BOISE — A joint memorial was introduced into the Legislature Wednesday urging the federal government to speed up the permitting process for an eastern Idaho mining company.

BOISE — A Democratic state senator introduced a bill Tuesday to decriminalize drug use in private places while also allowing civil commitments for drug abuse.

BOISE — The Department of Health and Welfare’s rules have mostly been reapproved, although not without some controversy and a couple of attempts to remove some rules dealing with vaccinations and child protective services investigations.

BOISE — Voters in a presidential primary would have to choose a party before the election under a bill that was introduced Tuesday.

BOISE — When state Treasurer Julie Ellsworth went before lawmakers for her budget hearing last week, Sen. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello, said, “I don’t see in here anything about the litigation costs. Without getting into the pros and cons of litigation between entities, can you give us an estimate …

BOISE — Acts of emotional and psychological violence will be included in Idaho’s definition of domestic violence.

BOISE — Last week, the first of the 2020 legislative session, state officials and lawmakers:

BOISE — With the very first agency budget hearing that state lawmakers held this year, they learned that Idaho’s $7.25 an hour minimum wage — unchanged for more than a decade — is becoming an issue for some crucial state services as neighboring states continue to increase their minimums.

BOISE — A panel of experts and advocates is set to discuss whether to limit a faith-healing religious exemption in Idaho, one of few states that shields practicing adherents from civil or criminal prosecution when their child dies or sustains disabling injuries without medical care.

BOISE — Meridian Police Chief Jeff Lavey has concerns with provisions of Rep. Joe Palmer’s proposed distracted driving bill, but is glad he “got that dialog started Week 1” in the legislative session.

BOISE — A legislative panel will decide next week whether to go along with the governor’s recommendation for state employee pay raises.

Much to the delight of the Idaho Associated General Contractors, a transportation funding plan was one of the first bills introduced during the 2020 legislative session, writes Lewiston Tribune reporter Bill Spence. The legislation, sponsored by House Transportation Chairman Joe Palmer, R-Meridian, seeks to shift $272 million in rainy day savings from the Budget Stabilization Fund into a new account that could help pay for state and local transportation projects...

BOISE — The House Health and Welfare Committee has approved an administrative rule change setting the new Medicaid eligibility requirements under Medicaid expansion.

BOISE — Some of Idaho’s legislative players have begun talking about whether to ask voters to consider a possible amendment to the state constitution, following a recent court decision affecting misdemeanor domestic violence arrests.