By Keith Ridler/Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Three types of potatoes genetically engineered to resist the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine are safe for the environment and safe to eat, federal officials announced. The approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration late last week gives Idaho-based J.R.
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Author: Sarah Glenn
Idaho bill seeks to block lawmaker emails from public view
By Kimberlee Kruesi/Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — All emails, texts and other communications between members of the Idaho Legislature would be considered private and blocked from public disclosure under a proposal introduced Wednesday. The measure would create a massive change to the Idaho Public Records Act by shielding most of the communications Idaho lawmakers
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Docutech’s Harry Gardner Joins ESRA’s Board of Directors
IDAHO FALLS – Harry Gardner, executive vice president of eStrategies for Docutech, has joined the board of directors for the Electronic Signature and Records Association (ESRA). ESRA was founded in 2006 to serve as a representative for companies that maintain or supply electronic signature and document technology, and Gardner has participated in ESRA’s activities since its
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Bill telling women abortion can be halted introduced
By Kimberlee Kruesi/Associated Press BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho Senate panel introduced legislation on Wednesday requiring the state to distribute information telling women that a drug-induced abortion may be halted halfway through, despite physicians warning there’s not enough science backing up that claim. Sen. Lori Den Hartog, a Republican from Meridian, says the goal
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Idaho House kills FBI background check bill
By Betsy Z. Russell BOISE — The Idaho House on Monday killed legislation allowing FBI background checks on certain state employees. The bill’s sponsor warned that the state could lose millions of dollars the state Department of Labor relies on to pay federal unemployment benefits. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, decried the bill as “federal bullying,”
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Idaho House OKs bill banning profiling of motorcyclists
By Shelbie Harris A new bill prohibiting law enforcement from profiling motorcycle riders passed the Idaho House of Representatives unanimously on Monday and will now head to the Senate for consideration. Rep. John McCrostie, D-Boise, spoke in favor of the bill, which prevents officers from pulling over people riding a motorcycle or wearing motorcycle paraphernalia
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INL buildings clear first obstacle
By Bryan Clark BOISE — An effort to fund the construction of two new education and research facilities associated with Idaho National Laboratory cleared its first major legislative hurdle Tuesday. The Senate Education Committee unanimously recommended that Senate Concurrent Resolution 105 be passed by the full Senate. The resolution would allow the Idaho State Building
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Blaine County introduces program to promote purchase of electric vehicles
By Corey Taule/For the Journal There are many reasons to like electric vehicles (EVs): They generate no tailpipe emissions, improving air quality, and are powered entirely by electricity, reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. EVs are easier to maintain (no oil to change). And EV owners have been known to speak lovingly about the
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Idaho budget writers approve public education funding
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State budget writers have agreed to allocate a 6.3 percent budget increase to Idaho’s public schools. The Spokesman-Review (http://bit.ly/2l5cqu5 ) reports that the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee set the public schools budget for fiscal year 2018 at $1.68 billion on Monday. For the second year in a row, the schools budget is
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Bill would offer incentives to Idaho’s data centers
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho would join 20 other states currently offering sales tax incentives to data centers under newly introduced legislation. Officials with the Idaho Department of Commerce are backing a measure that would offer sales tax rebates to eligible server equipment, which are typically replaced every three to five years in a data
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