Idaho panel OKs new version of constitutional amendment

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A Senate panel of lawmakers has approved a new version of a constitutional amendment allowing the part-time Idaho Legislature to call itself into session.

The Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday voted 5-3 to send the joint resolution to the full Senate.

A similar resolution passed the House in January with the two-thirds majority needed for constitutional amendments. But it appeared to go too far for senators. Under that version, special sessions called by lawmakers would not have been limited to topics decided ahead of the sessions.

The new version would have those limits. Lawmakers opposed to the original version feared that the Legislature would become a full-time operation.