Legislative update
Preparing for January By Rep. Mark Sauter, R-SandpointReader Contributor Greetings, The cold weather is upon us. For legislators, it’s time to finalize plans for the 2026 legislative session in Boise. I keep a running...
Tagged: idaho legislature
New lawsuit challenges Idaho’s private school tax credit program
By Zach HagadoneReader Staff Idaho’s controversial private school tax credit program is being challenged in court, with a lawsuit announced Sept. 17 in Boise arguing that House Bill 93 is unconstitutional. According to Idaho...
Expect budget-setting to be contentious in the 2026 Legislature
By Sen. Jim Woodward, R-SagleReader Contributor In the past decade, we have made substantial investments in Idaho’s future by investing in infrastructure. Rural sewer and water, state and local transportation, and schools have been...
Sandpoint P&Z recommends eliminating city’s area of impact
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff After months of consideration, and a meeting with the Bonner County board of commissioners, the Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission voted July 15 to recommend eliminating the city’s area...
Idaho needs independent veteran voices in government
By Paul Cunningham and Patrick Riceci Reader Contributors Idaho is at a crossroads. Our state Legislature has become increasingly polarized, with partisanship often drowning out pragmatic problem-solving. It’s time for a new approach —...
Dist. 1 lawmakers to attend ‘Idaho Fireplace Forum’ at Sandpoint Community Hall
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff Idaho District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, and Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, will provide a recap of the 2025 Idaho Legislature and take questions from attendees Saturday, May 3...
The 2025 legislative session in summary
By Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle Reader Contributor The first regular session of the 68th Idaho Legislature adjourned April 5. The session spanned 89 days — typical in length, although 15 days beyond the target...
Protecting Our Idaho Waters
By Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle Reader Contributor For decades, water has been on the mind of every farmer, rancher and landowner along the Snake River in southern Idaho. There is competition between agricultural uses...
Sandpoint takes first step toward shrinking area of impact
By Zach Hagadone Reader Staff The city of Sandpoint is looking to reduce its area of impact — shrinking the region for potential future expansion to a total of three square miles and limited...
Dumb of the week
By Ben Olson Reader Staff Perhaps, in a decade or two, we’ll look back on this time period and shake our heads softly, saying, “It was a strange time to be alive.” But, to...
