LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
June 14, 2007
All Legislative Interim Committees and Task Forces have been determined and assigned and will begin meeting soon, click here for the legislative calendar, or click on one of the committees below to see members and legislative staff assignments.
Capitol Restoration Advisory Committees: Design and Relocation
Early Childhood Development Task Force
Energy, Environment and Technology Interim Committee
Idaho Council on Indian Affairs
Joint Millennium Fund Committee
National Forest System/Woody Biomass Interim Committee
Natural Resources Interim Committee
Ordinary and Necessary Expenses (Cities & Counties) Task Force
Tax Exemptions Interim Committee
Treasure Valley Transportation Issues Task Force
May 22, 2007
The Legislative Council met last week to discuss interim committee and task force assignments. The committees will meet throughout the summer and fall before the next Legislative session to address specific issues and topics. Please click on the following liks to see committee members, calendars, issues and minutes from previous meetings. We will update as the committees meet on issues impacting REALTORS®.
Capitol Restoration Advisory Committees: Design and Relocation
Energy, Environment and Technology Interim Committee
Idaho Council on Indian Affairs
Joint Millennium Fund Committee
National Forest System/Woody Biomass Interim Committee
Natural Resources Interim Committee
Tax Exemptions Interim Committee
April 2, 2007
After many hours of discussions and caucus meetings, the Legislature has made a final decision on GARVEE bond funding. The bill that eventually passed both houses is H.336, which keeps the routes in but allows a range for funding of each. The routes and funding ranges are:
US-95 Garwood to Sagle, Kootenai & Bonner Counties, $23,000,000 - $77,097,000
US-95 Worley North, Kootenai County, $11,168,000 - $12,000,000
SH-16 Junction I-84 to Emmett, $4,326,000 - $17,000,000
I-84 Caldwell to Meridian, $58,120,000 - $126,000,000
I-84 Orchard to Isaacs Canyon, $28,000,000 - $ 30,019,000
US-30 McCammon to Lava Hot Springs, $38,387,000 - $ 40,000,000
After this decision, the Legislature adjourned the First Regular Session of the 59th Legislature, Sine Die.
March 27, 2007
The JFAC meeting this morning was cancelled at the end of the day yesterday, which indicates either there is still no harmony between the Governor and the Legislature regarding funding for GARVEE, or it could be a procedural question in that no vote was taken to move it back to JFAC. However, there are still questions as to what will happen with the grocery tax credit legislation and interoperability. The Governor is still looking for a more targeted grocery tax credit, which would reduce the fiscal impact and might help pay for the interoperability, which helps communication between emergency services. However, the Legislature is not as friendly to the Governor's grocery tax credit, and the House and Senate are still going back and forth amongst each other as to what to do with each of these bills. Things are changing quickly, and the Legislature is still trying to wrap things up this week, there is sure to be more to come in the next few hours and days.
SCR 121, on the Panhandle Health District and water quality rules rejection passed the House this morning. On a higher note, the Governor has signed the STAR bill, the state tax anticipation revenue legislation that would allow developers another route to financing infrastructure. However, there are many more bills waiting on the Governor's desk that may or may not get signed this session.
March 22, 2007
Rumor continues to circulate about GARVEE funding going back to JFAC in an effort to take routes out, but no definitive action has been taken yet. H. 81, grocery tax credits, were vetoed by the Governor. You can read the veto letter here, which states that despite the good debate, this bill would not be within the means of the budget and imposes undue burden on future state budgets. We are still waiting for the House to reach the 2nd Reading Calendar to address the Panhandle Health District water quality rule rejection, SCR 121.
March 21, 2007
The House failed to concur with H. 74a, as amended in the Senate to include language on collecting sales tax for internet and catalog sales. Rumor in the halls say the Senate is likely to send GARVEE funding back to JFAC to change routes or numbers, we are waiting for final word on what is rumor and what will actually happen. Closed primaries and consolidated elections bills are both looking at making a comeback as the House and Senate struggle to get some issues resolved in the next few days. It looks most certain we will be back next week to take care of some of these unresolved issues.
SCR 121, rejecting rules of the Panhandle Health District on water quality control, passed out of House State Affairs 15-3, and is on the Second Reading Calendar. This pertains to the way septic/ sewage system size requirements are calculated.
March 20, 2007As the session is winding down, most of the committee meetings have been wrapped up, and the action is taking place on the floor as Legislators are trying to pass last minute legislation by attaching it to other bills. H. 74a has been amended in the Senate to include a version of the streamlined sales tax, specific to those retailers with a substantial nexus in the state. It is on its way to the House, where there are questions as to what will happen to it there.
The Governor has vetoed H.81, the grocery tax bill, with the veto message discussing both the budgetary implications and obligations this would create in future years, as well as the necessity of targeted relief in this area. We are waiting for response from the Legislature.
March 16, 2007
H. 101, contractor registration follow up from 2006 legislation, was passed this morning in the Senate. A few Senators debated against the bill, which was mainly focused on the issue of contractor registration itself, rather than the specifics of this legislation.
March 15, 2007
The Senate Local Government & Tax Committee took testimony this morning and afternoon on the personal property tax legislation, H. 245. There was discussion of the interim committee that will be looking at tax policy, including exemptions, deductions and credits that should look at the personal property tax as well. A motion was made to send it to the to the amending order, a substitute motion was made to send it to the floor do pass. The do pass motion failed, and the bill was sent to the amending order.
March 13, 2007
H. 135, which clarifies the duties required for customers and clients for real estate agents passed the Senate this afternoon 31-3-1.
March 9, 2007
The House just passed H. 245 as amended on a 47-20 party line vote. The Senate is working their way through appropriations bills.
March 8, 2007
S. 1109 was on the House 3rd reading calendar today, while H. 135 was moved to the Senate 3rd reading calendar. Both the House and Senate are moving through their calendars in an effort to wrap up the session within the next couple weeks, and we should expect debate on these issues tomorrow.
March 7, 2007
House Rev. & Tax took up H. 246 again this morning after testimony yesterday on the local option transit tax. The debate continued with most of the testimony in favor of the legislation, as it was yesterday, with a few small businesses and the NFIB in opposition. There were a few questions and short discussion of the impact this legislation would have, and when the chair called for a motion the silence was noticeable. Rep. Smith eventually motioned to send it to the amending order to make the Regional Public Transportation Authority an elected board, rather than elected or appointed. Rep. Roberts quickly made a substitute motion to hold the legislation in committee. The bill was held in committee on an 11-7 vote.
March 6, 2007
After long debate, which included Senator Davis loaning his glasses to someone speaking to the legislation, H. 135 was sent to the floor unanimously with a do pass recommendation by the Senate Comm. and HR Committee. The testimony in opposition to this legislation focused on the clarity of definitions, the redundancy, and questions about limiting consumer choice. After many questions and a good deal of confusion about the opposition's points, the committee had brief discussion before a motion was made and the vote was taken.
March 5, 2007
House Commerce and Human Resources Committee sent S. 1109 to the floor with a do pass recommendation, after a motion was made to send it to the amending order to add language that would require brokers to continue holding paper licenses. The substitute motion to send S. 1109 to the floor came after discussion about not requiring anyone to display or carry any type of license, and the challenges some of the representatives have with that. The Realtors testified in support of the legislation as is, stating that we are moving into better technologies and most licensing requirements either are or will be going this way, and that relatively few have their licenses displayed, and very few find it necessary. It was also noted that information on licensure is available in other places and easily accessible.
March 2, 2007
H. 101, the contractor registration amendments has passed the House and will move to the Senate for further action.
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee printed three RS's regarding taxing districts that have been seen before and will likely hear them next week, they also sent a bill to print requiring sales tax reporting by county. H. 251 regarding urban renewal districts not altering boundaries was up for hearing, despite all testimony in opposition, there was a fair amount of debate and the bill was sent to the floor with a do pass recommendation.
March 1, 2007
H. 135 was in the Senate Commerce & Human Resources Committee this afternoon, but the committee adjourned to go on the floor before they reached this legislation, and we were held to a later date.
February 27, 2007
S. 1099, which would require mandatory sales price disclosure to the county on all transfers of real property, was held in Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee today, with a new RS being introduced. The bill's sponsors have opted to print a new bill that would narrow the scope and provide penalties for making information public. They are printing this new legislation now in an effort for all stakeholders to weigh in throughout the year, and will bring it back in the next legislative session after all comments have been heard.
House State Affairs had H.185, the bill to close the primaries, in front of the committee today. Because new language is being worked on, the bill has been held time certain at the call of the chair.
Local options taxes were brought before House Rev. & Tax this morning, with three bills, including local option transit taxes. Two of the RS's were returned to the sponsor, but with the amount of questions and discussion surrounding the transit issue, the committee voted to send the bill to print. They quickly moved back to personal property tax phase out discussions, which has now become H. 245. The new bill incorporates language provided by Rep. Bedke regarding the trigger mechanism for the freeze of the phase out and includes urban renewal district reimbursement rates. Alex LeBeau, IACI president and sponsor of the legislation, also noted that the phase out would not take place until FY09, so the legislature would have the opportunity to review rules before it takes full effect. Rep. Killen offered an amendment to limit the exemption to the first $50,000 only. That motion failed, but the committee passed H.245 to the floor with a do pass recommendation.
February 26, 2007
S. 1109 was on the Senate third reading calendar today. This is a housekeeping bill, which also responds to changes in licensing system capabilities and record keeping practices. A new RS was introduced to print in House Rev & Tax this morning regarding the personal property tax that was H. 206, became H. 233, we will see a new bill tomorrow with amendments and language tightening up the trigger when the phase out will freeze in years with revenue downturns. H. 135, the REALTORS® bill that clarifies the duties of agents, has been sent to Senate Commerce and Human Resources.
February 23, 2007
The Hs. Rev. & Tax Committee once again took up the personal property tax phase out legislation, H. 206. The bill once again got much discussion, with lots of questions from the committee. The testimony today was mostly favorable to the legislation, with retailers and NFIB pointing out the difficulty to report the tax, the inconsistency of its application and that the money saved will be reinvested into the economy and employees. The bill was held until Monday, while a trailer bill, which will clarify when the phase out would freeze if a revenue shortfall occurs and the reimbursement to urban renewal districts was sent to print and will be heard on Monday with the continued discussion of H. 206.
February 21, 2007
House Rev. and Tax started taking testimony on H. 206, the personal property tax phase out. The sponsor (IACI) explained the bill as an effort to eliminate one of the major challenges facing business. They worked with the state tax commission on the legislation to help ensure the state would not find itself in a revenue loss position. They also offered an amendment or trailer bill that in the case of a year the state cannot meet or exceed the previous year's budget, the phase-out would not expand but would remain frozen at the previous years level. A majority of today's testimony was favorable to the legislation, although there is some concern with the way it is written and tax shifting. The Chamber Alliance testified that we are supportive of the concept, although we recognize that this is not the perfect bill and it will most likely change before the end of the process, we urged the committee to send it to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The Committee will continue hearing testimony on Friday morning at 9AM.
February 16, 2007
RS 17043, the IACI bill to phase out personal property taxes was in the Hs. Rev. & Tax Committee this morning. Alex LaBeau, President of IACI, introduced the legislation, stating that it is a fiscally responsible plan for the right property tax change. Questions were brought up regarding cost breakouts by size of business and tax shifting possibility. Chairman Lake said these questions were best deferred to a hearing. The bill was sent to print and it is the chair's intention to bring it up for hearing sometime next week.
February 15, 2007
House State Affairs Committee sent the new minimum wage bill H. 184 (replacing H. 113) to general orders with amendments allowing for tip credit allowances and enacting upon passage and signature of the Governor. We will see these amendments to the bill after they are added through action on the floor.
February 7, 2006
Tuesday the House State Affairs committee approved a proposal to be printed regarding the minimum wage. Sponsored by the House Majority leadership team, it pegs Idaho’s minimum wage to actions taken by the U.S. Congress regarding minimum wage. Democratic members of State Affairs sought to introduce a different minimum wage measure that had a built in escalator, increasing the minimum wage each year and did not include a tip credit for employers. Many restaurants are allowed to pay $3.25 and the Democratic measure would have eliminated this tip credit provision. Additionally the democratic measure would have reduced the training period (wherein an employer does not have to pay a minimum wage pending successful completion of a probationary period) to 30 days from 90 days. Both proposals will increase the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to about $7.25+ per hour, but because the measure printed is tied to the federal law this number could fluctuate. In this instance Chamber members are encouraged to watch carefully the action of the U.S. Congress because what they do will directly affect what Idaho employers are required to do for Idaho employees. The Democratic measure was not printed and the “federal compliance” proposal will receive a bill number today.
February 2, 2007
The House Rev. & Tax Committee heard HB. 47 and 48 this morning, requiring urban renewal district to hold elections and to freeze boundaries and plans, respectively. After much discussion on HB. 47, the debate centered around the ability of a district to tax without having an elected commission, versus the need to have appointed experts and avoid politicizing urban planning. HB. 79 which changes the way value is calculated in taxing districts that are part of urban renewal districts passed the House Rev & Tax Committee as well, after a good deal of spirited testimony and debate.
February 1, 2007
House Rev. and Tax Committee will hear bills HB.47 and HB. 48 regarding urban renewal on Friday, 2/2/07.