House OKs measure backing federal 'Conscience' act

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House Republican majority wants Congress to pass a law allowing private employers with religious or moral objections to reject contraceptive or sterilization insurance coverage for their workers.

Thursday's non-binding resolution cleared the chamber on a 53-15 vote, to support the federal "Respect for Rights of Conscience Act."

Republican Rep. Carlos Bilbao of Emmett told representatives it's needed to block the 2010 health care overhaul's requirement that employers' insurance plans provide contraception and sterilization coverage.

Bilbao says if employees want contraception, they can still get it — they just can't force employers to help pay for it.

Ketchum Democratic Rep. Wendy Jaquet argued the resolution sets women's health care back.

And Boise Democrat Grant Burgoyne, another foe, argued religious liberty doesn't include the right to impose one's beliefs on others.

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House passes property tax break for developers

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Land developers could see a tax break on improvements to their properties that remain idle, under a measure that cleared the Idaho House.

Rep. Steve Hartgen’s measure passed the chamber on a wide 57-12 margin on Thursday.

Republicans backed sending the measure to the Senate, while Democrats were against it.

Under the bill, when a developer adds improvements like roads, the resulting increase in value would be exempt from taxation until building begins or the developer sells the property.

It includes provisions preventing any reduction in the taxable value of the property from shifting to other taxpayers.

Hartgen, a Twin Falls Republican, hopes this will spur development — and protect developers whose projects have been delayed by the residential housing downturn from being taxed out of existence.

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Bill would give ITD leeway to repair Idaho bridges

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Transportation Department could get an additional $140 million to repair state highway bridges under a bill approved by a Senate committee.

Republican Sen. Chuck Winder is pushing the legislation that would allow the state to sell more bonds originally authorized under Idaho's $1 billion "Connecting Idaho" highway building project.

The Senate Transportation Committee advanced the bill Wednesday.

The state has sold about $855 million in bonds, but lawmakers have been at odds over whether to add $140 million to max out the program.

Currently the money is restricted to projects in seven projects, and Winder wants to give state transportation officials discretion to address failing bridges anywhere in Idaho.

The Boise senator says the highway department will be the arbiter of which bridge projects to do.

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Bill would ease way for outside health insurers

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Out-of-state companies would have an easier time selling health insurance in Idaho if a Boise lawmaker has her way.

The House State Affairs committee agreed Thursday to hear the legislation, which removes the requirement that licensed health-insurers have physical locations in the state to sell policies to residents.

Bill sponsor Rep. Julie Ellsworth says out-of-state companies would have to comply with Idaho's mandatory minimum benefit requirement.

They would also have to contribute to a fund that helps pay for medical care for the indigent that don't qualify for Medicaid.

The Boise Republican says a small group of companies rule the state's health-insurance market.

She argues that removing the roadblocks for out-of-state companies would increase competition and lower health-coverage costs in Idaho.

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Senate passes felony for repeat animal cruelty

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Senate overwhelmingly backed a bill that would slap repeat animal cruelty offenders with a felony.

The bill won on a 31-1 vote Thursday and now heads to the House.

It makes a third animal-cruelty conviction within 15 years a felony crime punishable with jail time.

The measure is being pushed by the livestock industry, because it's trying to take the wind out of a stricter voter initiative proposed by animal-rights advocates.

The Idaho Humane Society supports the measure, but believes it could go further to target animal torture.

Just like in committee a week ago, Sen. Monty Pearce of New Plymouth, was the lone opponent, on skepticism that Idaho really has an animal cruelty problem.

Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota stand alone without felony animal cruelty laws.

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Bill would let drivers prove insurance with phone

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho motorists pulled over by police could use mobile phones to verify their auto insurance under a bill heading to the Senate floor.

The Senate Transportation Committee advanced legislation Wednesday that would make Idaho the first state to allow drivers to prove they own liability insurance using images downloaded on smart phones.

Property and Casualty Insurance Association of America lobbyist Michael Kane sponsored the bill. He says insurers would supply willing customers with an electronic copy of their policy along with the traditional paper version.

Kane says the bill would ultimately cut costs by reducing the number of frivolous citations issued by police officers. Kane claims police write thousands of no-insurance tickets each year that are dismissed because they didn't have insurance proof handy.

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Idaho early education bill faces changes in Senate

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Legislation to help Idaho students complete one or two years of college by the time they graduate high school is getting a makeover.

Rep. Steve Thayn's program won approval in the Idaho House, but with the understanding state senators would make changes. The state Department of Education previewed some proposed tweaks Thursday for the Senate Education Committee.

Students in the program would take summer courses, with the state picking up most of the tab, to finish junior high and high school early and get started on college.

Under proposed changes, Idaho wouldn't kick in money for the program next year and the Idaho Digital Learning Academy would provide the summer courses. But with a caveat: Idaho would have to fund the academy to the tune of $5 million in 2013.

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Committee advances wind farm moratorium bill

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A bill that calls for putting a two-year moratorium on new wind energy projects has narrowly made its way out of a House committee.

After more than three hours of testimony Wednesday, the House Local Government Committee approved the measure on a 6-5 vote. The bill would also require lawmakers to undertake a two-year study of the wind power industry's overall impact in the state.

Idaho Falls Rep. Erik Simpson argues it's time to slow an industry he blames for increasing costs on utilities and power customers.

Others complain the rapid growth of wind farms has come at the expense of residents who have seen their property values decline.

But opponents like Republican Rep. Christy Perry of Nampa say the moratorium would unfairly jeopardize future projects worth millions of dollars.