The Connector: Idaho Daily News

Spending concerns are among issues pushing state lawmakers beyond their target date to wrap up the legislative session, budgets won't include nearly $25 million in federal money for homeowner energy efficiency tax rebates, plus a preview of the FIS Alpine World Championships hitting Sun Valley starting this weekend, and why Dr. Marlene Tromp says she's leaving Boise State to become president of th...

Medicaid in Idaho is changing, with participant work requirements and a bend toward private health insurers, The state prison system gets a new director, the nation's postal workers prepare to fight back against DOGE cuts, and how much power should Idaho businesses have to deny service to someone who's sick?

Chaplains could be coming to Idaho schools, lawmakers weigh tighter scrutiny of tax-exempt status of local hospitals, Veolia has proposed a significant increase in local water rates, and local faith leaders urge opposition to two proposed laws dealing with homelessness.

Protests outside a private event in Garden City Monday held with U.S. senator Mike Crapo, Canyon County leaders ask state lawmakers to tighten indecent exposure laws after last year's 2C Pride event, US95 north of Council could reopen to car traffic in a few days, and Boise State University President Dr. Marlene Tromp could be on the way out.

Spending money to save money in the state's foster care system, a 'medical freedom act' advances to the house floor, and Boise State University is one of 45 institutions being investigated by the U.S. Dept. of Education for a partnership with a program focused on underserved groups in graduate programs. UPDATED at 8:40 am MT with post-season tournament information for Boise State Men's basketball.

Lawmakers advance ramping down the state's regional medical education partnership, Idaho school districts may soon be allowed to employ chaplains, St. Luke's advocates for a workforce housing project in McCall, and changing the game plan led to a big win for Boise State basketball.

Idaho will be the first state in the US to 'prefer' the firing squad for capital punishment, lawmakers continue to try and find a way to keep Idaho funding away from the University of Washington and its multi-state medical education program WWAMI, and fired USDA workers are returning to work - with back pay. Plus, five years on, we look back at the the first confusing weeks of the COVID-19 pandemi...

Should gun rules for foster homes in Idaho be loosened? Lawmakers say the rules discourage people from fostering kids. Legislation making illegal immigration a state crime in Idaho has advanced - with a change - and also faces a legal threat, and tiny homes on wheels could be part of Boise's building code after a pilot program showed positive results.

Lawmakers are targeting unsheltered people in Idaho's largest cities, the citizen initiative process for marijuana and giving medical professionals the right to refuse treatment that violates personal beliefs. Plus, the Eckert Road Bridge is back open, and the University of Idaho could come out ahead even if it can't close the deal to buy the University of Phoenix.

Layoffs at Blue Cross of Idaho, lawmakers target standardized testing for Idaho's youngest readers, and the Boise VA Medical Center is working to bring some employees fired by the Trump Administration back.

Work requirements for medicaid expansion eligibility advance at the Idaho Statehouse,  Ada County appears to have leveraged its GOP connections to torpedo an EV parking space requirement in Boise's modern zoning code, National Parks and Forests are popular (duh) and we check in on snowpack and drought conditions across Idaho.

Legislation approving the firing squad as Idaho's primary execution method and an increase to the state's grocery tax credit are headed to the governor's desk, lawmakers are again attempting to unwind Idaho's relationship with a regional medical education partnership, and the state's largest healthcare provider argues in federal court to keep part of Idaho's strict abortion ban sidelined.

State Senators have sent a $253M income tax cut to Governor Brad Little's desk, The Governor has already signed a bill banning mask mandates to prevent the spread of disease, Planned Parenthood is opening telehealth operations in Idaho, and the Trump Administration appears ready to drop the Biden-era justice department lawsuit against Idaho's near-total ban on abortion.

Albertsons will have a new CEO this spring, House lawmakers decide people receiving federal food assistance shouldn't use it for soda or candy, and state lawmakers want to evaluate a better way for Idahoans to get north and south. Our George Prentice has that story, and he'll share a bit about his absence and what's next.

Governor Little signed HB93, establishing a school voucher tax credit program despite significant public opposition, according to data released by the governor's office. Medicaid spending remains in the crosshairs of Idaho Lawmakers, and federal workers rallied against job cuts at national parks across the country this past weekend.

Idaho parents will soon have access to tax credits to offset private or religious school tuition, state lawmakers take aim at the city of Boise's zoning code, how pulling back on medicaid expansion could disproportionally impact Idaho's hispanic population, and cuts to the forest service mean less enforcement of rules on public lands and snowmobilers are already running amok on the Payette Nationa...

Governor Brad Little celebrates the Idaho LAUNCH education grant program, lawmakers sink another attempt to end no-excuse absentee voting, and results of a citizen survey helped block a proposed workforce housing development in Ketchum.

Governor Little says Idahoans are poised to withstand economic uncertainty and shock as the Trump Administration slices federal government, Boise's office of police accountability reports its 2024 data and recommendations to the city council, the Eckert Road Bridge is on its way to reopening and NIC is back in the good graces of accreditors - but improvement and recovery at the college continues.

A new women's jail in the works in Canyon County, more details from Coeur D'Alene and charges dropped against a woman ejected from a weekend GOP town hall, health insurance companies could be required to cover enhanced breast cancer screenings in Idaho, and tourism in Sun Valley rebounding after a 'scary' September and slow December.

Members of a private security team who forcibly removed a woman from a GOP town hall event in Coeur D'Alene Saturday may not have been operating legally in the city. Lawmakers Friday killed legislation which would have tied public school funding to immigration status verification for students, and new legislation was introduced making libel a felony. Plus, men's and women's professional soccer is...

Funding for local Head Start programs caught up in the federal government's budget and personnel slashing, CSI trustees weigh the risks and revenue of booze sales on campus, a newly proposed bill would give lawmakers command of the state's childhood immunization guidelines, and a preview of the fully-announced Treefort Music Festival lineup.

A very busy day at the Idaho Statehouse Wednesday included advancing a school voucher bill to the governor for the first time in years of trying, and a bill making Idaho the only state to use a firing squad as a primary method of capital punishment is a senate vote away from the Governor as well. Plus, House lawmakers approved legislation opponents say is guaranteed to kill medicaid expansion in t...

Environmental groups are suing the US Forest Service over its approval of the Stibnite gold project in central Idaho. Many of those same groups were part of a lawsuit over limits on wolf trapping, which was recently upheld by a federal judge. Plus, Governor Little's executive order backing Trump's immigration policies and bills governing flags and a minimum fine for weed have advanced.

Dozens of Payette National Forest employees were fired as part of the Trump Administration's federal workforce reductions, Boise Pride is on the move, and the Eckert Road Bridge could be passable again before spring runoff begins.

State senators strip away millions for public schools in a bill which would expand the state's Empowering Parents grant program to include private school tuition, what's at stake for Idaho Universities with NIH funding on hold, and a hearing today at the Idaho Supreme Court in a case ski area operators are watching closely. * updated at 8 am MT to add a programming note ahead of the President's Da...