Highlights from 03-07-2013

LICENSE PLATES

Bill killed; sponsor gets birthday wishes

Republican Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll of Grangeville was pushing a plan to recognize volunteer emergency medical service providers with their own specialty Idaho license plate.

But senators have grown stingy about creating more specialty plates. So the chamber voted 20-15 to reject Nuxoll's plan.

But minutes later, leaders pointed out Nuxoll was born on this date in 1951 - and encouraged senators to wish her a happy birthday.

The Associated Press

FEDERAL LAND

House begins debate on state management

A House committee has introduced a resolution calling on lawmakers to study the pros and cons of Idaho wresting control of public land managed by the federal government.

Republican Rep. Lawerence Denney of Midvale is the chief sponsor of both proposals.

Denney says the state is often at odds with the way federal agencies manage land, species and approach to harvesting timber.

The Associated Press

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Senate approves religious groups bill

Idaho's public universities would be barred from denying official recognition and other benefits to religious student groups under the bill.

The measure approved Thursday on a 30-5 vote gives university religious organizations freedom to restrict their leadership positions to those truly committed to their faith.

The bill moves to the House.

The Associated Press

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

CWI gets less funding than requested

Idaho's three community colleges got a budget boost from the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, though it fell far short of the funding the colleges requested in the face of ballooning enrollment at the state's newest, the College of Western Idaho.

The budget set by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee gives the colleges $30.2 million, an 8.9 percent increase, matching the governor's recommendation; the colleges had requested a 40.3 percent increase to $39.8 million.

CWI will get $900,000 of the $1.25 million the governor recommended.

Spokesman-Review

LIQUOR LICENSES

Bill to relax resort town regulations on hold

Restaurant owners in Driggs and other Idaho resort towns will have to wait a little longer for a change in state law to make liquor licenses more accessible.

Republican Rep. Marc Gibbs of Grace made a case for the change, telling lawmakers that current rules only allow two liquor licenses at restaurants in Driggs.

But several lawmakers raised concerns that adding more liquor licenses would depress the resale value of existing liquor licenses.

The Associated Press

WEAPONS

House passes bill for concealed knives

Legislation that would carve out an exemption in Idaho's concealed weapons law on knives has passed the House.

The measure approved unanimously Thursday allows Idahoans to carry concealed knives with blades four inches or shorter without a permit. Longer knives used to prepare food, Tasers and pepper spray also would be permitted.

The Associated Press