Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced a special session starting September 1, focusing on education funding and cutting taxes.

During the special session, legislators will debate a bill that features the largest tax cut and investment in education funding in the state’s history.

This special session comes on the heels of Idaho’s historic surplus, one that has the possibility of creating $2 billion.

This does affect lobbyist reporting.

A lobbyist activity report for the month of September will be due October 15.

The Idaho State Legislature adjourned sine die March 31.

The 81-day session focused mostly on infrastructure and education.

Starting the session with a nearly $2 billion surplus and billions in federal covid relief funds, lawmakers approved Gov. Brad Little’s “Leading Idaho” plan, providing $300 million to bolster k-12 public school budgets, a 7% increase in educator salaries, and funding an optional full-day kindergarten program.

Lawmakers also passed a bill modeled after the Texas abortion ban, the most restrictive abortion law in the country.

Planned Parenthood since filed a lawsuit with the Idaho Supreme Court requesting an injunction.

This does affect lobbyist reporting.

A lobbyist activity report will be due April 15, covering March 1 through March 31.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced he is appointing Muffy Davis to Blaine County Commissioner, replacing Jacob Greenberg who is retiring at the end of December.

Davis is the current Democratic representative from Idaho’s 26^th District.

Before being elected to the House in 2019 she was a seven-time Paralympic medalist in skiing and cycling.

Little will appoint a replacement from a submitted list provided by House Democrats sometime before the 2022 legislative session.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little appointed Lori McCann to fill the vacant seat in state House District 6.

McCann’s term began May 17 and will continue until the next general election when the term of office expires.

The seat was vacated by Aaron von Ehlinger, who resigned amid sexual misconduct and rape allegations.

Gov. Brad Little signed a bill amending reporting requirements for independent expenditures.

House Bill 104 requires reporting of the identity of the candidate or measure and whether the expenditure was made in support of or in opposition to the candidate or measure.

The bill becomes effective July 1.

The Idaho House passed a constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to call itself into a special session.

The legislation stems from lawmaker dissatisfaction with restrictions Gov. Brad Little put in place last March.

Specifically, those to reduce coronavirus infections and deaths.

The Legislature had adjourned for the year by then and couldn’t call itself back into session.

Idaho is one of 14 states where only the governor can call a special legislative session.

The legislation must now pass the Senate with a two-thirds vote.

It, then, would go to voters in the November 2022 general election, where a simple majority is needed for approval.

If voters approve it in 2022, lawmakers could call themselves back into session if 60% of members in each the House and Senate agree.

The Legislature concluded its special session late Wednesday night after three days of protests and public outrage regarding the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Three bills were sent to Gov. Brad Little’s desk, including two election related bills and a bill shielding businesses and schools from coronavirus-related lawsuits.

The election related bills would guarantee in-person voting would be allowed in some form across Idaho.

This was guaranteed regardless of any emergency orders in effect.

The bills would also buy more time for county clerks to process the expected large influx of mail-in ballots for the November election.

Gov. Little has five days from the time he receives the bills to either sign them or veto them.

If he does neither, the bills will become law automatically.

Gov. Brad Little stated Wednesday he will call the part-time Legislature back into a special session during the week of August 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The special session could include how to conduct the November general election amid the pandemic.

Also a topic of discussion is legislation creating a liability shield for protection against lawsuits during declared emergencies such as the pandemic.

How a special session would work during the pandemic and how much it would cost is unclear.

Lawmakers would have to be in the Statehouse in Boise for their votes to count.

On the morning of June 23, 15 House Republicans met in the Statehouse to discuss and air grievances over Gov. Brad Little’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers read a multi-page statement against the actions of Little, stating he had violated the separation of powers within the state.

However, despite calls from GOP groups and protesters, lawmakers decided not to conduct any legislative action before ending the unofficial session.

Gov. Brad Little appointed Aaron von Ehlinger to fill the Idaho House District 6 seat until November’s general election.

The appointment was made one day after von Ehlinger challenged incumbent Rep. Thyra Stevenson, and won the Republican primary for the seat.

However, Stevenson passed away on May 11 following a heart attack.

She remained on the Republican primary ballot because it was too late to change forms.

The 6th Legislative District Republican Central Committee nominated von Ehlinger and two others as potential picks following the passing of Stevenson.

Von Ehlinger will now be the incumbent in the November general election, where he is running unopposed.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little won’t delay the May 19 primary election, but the election will now be all-absentee due to the risk from coronavirus.

Secretary of State Lawerence Denney has extended the deadline to submit absentee ballots to June 2.

Idahoans will be able register to vote and request an absentee ballot up until 8 p.m. on May 19.

The extension pushes back voters’ deadline to submit ballots to county clerks to 8 p.m. on June 2.

Normally that deadline would have been 8 p.m. May 19.

The Office of the Secretary of State will be sending out absentee ballot requests to every registered voter who has not already requested one.

The second session of the 65th Idaho Legislature has ended.

The House adjourned sine die on Friday after balancing fears of spreading the coronavirus with potential vetoes of several bills representatives will now be powerless to override.

If the House stayed in session, it would have given them the option of holding an override vote.

The override would be necessary if Gov. Brad Little vetoed any of the bills sent to him in the last days of the session.

The House voted 32-28 to end the legislative session a day after the Senate adjourned sine die.

During the session, lawmakers passed a bill relating to the filing of campaign finance reports and a bill relating to codifier’s corrections.

Senate Bill 1233 amends who can file reports of contributions and expenditures to include the political committee and the candidate.

The bill was an emergency and became effective January 1, 2020.

Senate Bill 1334 makes non-substantive changes to definitions relating to lobbying and contributions.

The bill becomes effective May 19, 2020.

This does affect lobbyist reporting.

The statutory requirement to file monthly reports when the Legislature is in session will end with the report due April 15.