Idaho’s legislative interim committees close to wrapping up

Idaho’s legislative interim committees are close to wrapping up their work after spending the summer reviewing the state’s hot-button topics.

The studies conducted between legislative sessions are expected to help set the agenda for the 2016 Idaho Legislature by resulting in proposed legislation.

This year, a landmark court decision pushed lawmakers to create two panels to review Idaho’s selection process for the state’s most expensive contracts and study if a statewide system is needed to provide broadband to public schools.

The ruling deemed that the state’s multimillion-dollar school broadband contract was illegal.

Other panels have focused on public defense reform, tax policies and criminal justice reinvestment.