Old Ideas Surround New Idaho Legislative Session for 2016

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — It's no secret that rejected proposals haunt the halls of the Idaho Statehouse. Tax reform failures and botched education funding formulas are common ghost tales among lawmakers and lobbyists.

Yet the ideas that formed doomed legislative efforts rarely die. So come 2016, many bills expected to be introduced in the Idaho Legislature are newer versions of proposals pitched — often ones that failed — during sessions past. Why? It boils down to patience: Most ideas take years to take root inside the Idaho Legislature before gaining enough support to clear both houses.

In January, Idaho lawmakers may once again review possible tax cuts and discuss appropriate education funding levels. Just like in years past, lawmakers will try to find solutions to the state's criminal defense system, but just like their predecessors, it's uncertain if any comprehensive action will be made in the next three months.