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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Lawmakers who oversee appropriations for the U.S. Forest Service have sent a letter requesting the agency revoke its decision allowing a Canadian company to write a key environmental report on proposed open-pit gold mines in central Idaho. Top Democrats on the House Appropriations Subcommittee sent the letter Monday. The lawmakers also want all records leading to the Forest Service giving British Columbia-based Midas Gold authority to write the document. Internal Forest Service documents indicate the company received that authority after the Trump administration became involved. The document deals with the potential effect the mines would have on protected salmon, steelhead and bull trout.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Bond elections that fail won't be allowed before voters again for a minimum of 11 months under proposed legislation that's heading to the full House. The House State Affairs Committee voted 12-3 Monday to OK the measure brought forward by Republican Rep. Heather Scott. Backers of the legislation say taxing districts should only get one shot a year at asking voters to approve bonds. Those opposed say taxing districts typically communicate with voters to find out why a bond failed and make changes the voters want before trying again. The legislation has particular significance for school districts that currently can run bond elections four times a year.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Police say the mother of two missing children has been found in Hawaii, along with her new husband, but the children still have not been located. Seventeen-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow have been missing since September. The Kauai Police Department announced Sunday that Lori Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell were contacted in Kauai on Saturday, where they had been staying for an unknown period of time. The couple's car was searched and Lori Vallow has been ordered to bring her children to an Idaho Department of Health and Welfare office by Thursday or risk being found in contempt of court.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is seeking an additional $70 million from the general fund and $300 million overall that includes federal money for an 8.7% increase in next year's budget. Director Dave Jeppesen on Monday told the Legislature's budget-setting committee that the large increase is due to Medicaid expansion. His request would boost the agency's budget to about $930 million from general funds. The agency would also receive about $330 million in dedicated funds from such things as fees and licenses plus another $2.4 billion from the federal government for an overall budget of about $3.7 billion.
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