Gov. Butch Otter’s bill to establish a state health exchange under the U.S. Affordable Care Act cleared the Idaho Senate on a 23-12 vote Thursday, sending the measure to the House. The Senate’s endorsement of the state-operated online insurance marketplace…
Blog Archives
Otter wasn’t kidding: He’s ropin’ in dough for third term
Last Friday, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter told reporters he was preparing to seek a third term next year, including raising money. What he neglected to mention was his campaign is hosting an “Idaho Code of the West BBQ” this Saturday…
16 Idaho House GOP freshmen endorse Otter health exchange, with new ‘trailer’ bill
A bill intended to add to Gov. Butch Otter’s Senate Bill 1042 by strengthening legislative oversight has won a key block of votes for the most controversial measure of the 2013 session. A “trailer” bill to complement SB 1042 was…
Idaho Senate rejection of Hurlock at F&G may be short-sighted
The Republicans who control the Idaho Senate did a rare thing Monday, snubbing their governor, letting the meat loaf grow stale in the lunchroom and delaying an annual ceremony honoring Abraham Lincoln. The male-dominated Senate rejected Gov. Butch Otter’s nomination…
Otter’s mom understands why he missed her 98th birthday — to welcome troops
Gov. Butch Otter was at Fort Hood, Texas, on Saturday to welcome home Idaho National Guard troops after a 9-month deployment in Afghanistan. To greet about 60 troops from the Idaho National Guard’s Company A, 1-168 General Support Aviation Battalion,…
Otter: I’m ready to run, but not ready to announce
Gov. Butch Otter said Friday he is preparing to become the first governor to seek a third consecutive four-year term since Republican Gov. Bob Smylie won a third term in 1962. Otter, 70, first said he planned to run in…
Otter gets boost from near-unanimous Senate panel on health exchange
The Senate Commerce & Human Resources Committee voted 8-1 Thursday afternoon to send Gov. Butch Otter’s health insurance exchange bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass. The lone dissenter was Boise Democrat Branden Durst, who said…
More heat: Idaho GOP chairman says party’s opposition to health exchange ‘irrefutable’
Idaho Republican Party Chairman Barry Peterson reminded the 85 Republicans in the 105-member Legislature that the party’s State Central Committee has voted to oppose GOP Gov. Butch Otter’s push for a state-run health exchange. “We have a great respect for…
Did Otter really never lobby Legislature while he was in Congress?
Gov. Butch Otter’s statement Wednesday that he never used his clout as a member of Congress to jawbone state legislators has raised an eyebrow or two among foes trying to kill his state-run health insurance exchange. The example cited is…
