The Idaho Senate on Thursday approved a bill that changes the way Idaho administers its fund to pay for catastrophic health care for indigent residents in a bid to reign in costs.

Senate Bill 1158 now heads to the House for consideration.

Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, said the changes will save the state and counties in the long term, after costs jumped to more than $38 million in 2007 from less than $30 million in 2004.

Under his plan, the Department of Health and Welfare and private contractors would manage cases and help find patients appropriate care.

Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, expressed concern Wednesday at the amount of stimulus money being used for information technology (IT) projects in the Health and Welfare budget, including $1.18 million for an infant/toddler database. The database will allow the department to bill and collect receipts.

LeFavour said she would prefer to see the money used on programs instead, saying that even one-time training or programs can have "a profound effect."

Citing the IT dollars and the money dedicated to roads, LeFavour said, "The Governor must have best friends in IT and cement."

The Idaho House passed three joint memorials Monday encouraging the federal government to stay out of the state’s business.

House Joint Memorial 5 urges Congress to oppose federal legislation that interferes with a state’s ability to direct or process horses. It passed on a voice vote.

House Joint Memorial 6 opposed any proposed federal legislation similar to the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2007 and urged Congress not to enact any similar legislation. It passed on a voice vote.

Sen. Nicole LeFavour of Boise and Rep. Shirley Ringo of Moscow prominently sported fleshy colored band-aids on their faces Thursday.

They hadn't had accidents, LeFavour said.

The lawmakers were showing solidarity with Idaho school teachers who face layoffs and paycuts as Idaho's economy languishes, LeFavour said.

Gov. Butch Otter has proposed teachers share in a 5 percent cut in payroll costs aimed at all state employees even while leaving the state with $192 million in education rainy-day funds and reserving federal stimulus dollars to weather an economic storm.

Rep. Frank Henderson, known as "Moses" by some colleagues for both his age and wisdom, was the second lawmaker to debate in favor of Gov. Butch Otter's 7-cent fuel tax hike.

Henderson, R-Post Falls, is an octogenarian who shepherds the Idaho Transportation Department's budget through the Legislature's budget committee. On Wednesday, he met privately with Otter's chief of staff, Jason Kreizenbeck, and Otter's transportation aide, former Rep. Clete Edmunson. The meeting took place in a small room reserved for Otter's staff in the Statehouse Annex. The room is known as the "bat cave."

12:22 p.m.: Gov. Butch Otter's bill to raise the fuel tax fails to pass in the House.

12:21 p.m.: Final vote 27-43

12:18: House members have finished speaking on the bill. Eleven spoke in favor; 10 spoke against, including seven Republicans.

12:16 p.m. Republican Rep. Janice McGeachin, Idaho Falls: “Many of the people from back home are literally begging me not to raise their taxes right now.” Opposes the bill.

12:12 p.m. Republican Rep. Ken Roberts, Donnelly: “The Idaho taxpayers don’t like taxes but they really don’t like bad roads.” He supports the bill.

Members of the Idaho House were subjected to a final few minutes of the most intensive lobbying of the session this morning, as they prepared to debate Gov. Butch Otter's two-year effort to boost road funding.

Miscalculations, last minute changes, abbreviated committee processes … Gov. Butch Otter and his staff have spent almost a year working on a transportation funding package, but as it gets down to the wire the plan has become a moving target.

Less than 48 hours after Otter’s revised vehicle registration bill was printed Tuesday and expedited to the House floor it was withdrawn after discovery of an $11 million miscalculation.

Legislators were treated to St. Patrick's Day bagpiping by a Senate page from North Idaho, who admitted to pining for the pubs of Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene.

Mallory Triplett's heart will be with St. Joseph's Pipe and Drum Corps tonight, though she'll be in her temporary quarters in Boise. "It's one of our best nights to make money, but I'll be home tonight. I have nowhere else to go."

Buckle up, Sen. Broadsword. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

A bill that eliminates exceptions to keeping children in seat belts and car safety seats narrowly passed a vote on the Senate floor Monday morning.

Senate Bill 1089 passed the Senate by only four votes and now moves on to the House.

The bill gets rid of exceptions allowing children out of safety restraints for their "physiological" well being and if all other safety restraints in the vehicle are being used. Idaho is only one of two states that allows children out of seat belts and safety seats.