Closed Legislative Conferences Constitutional, Idaho Court Rules

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The Idaho Constitution does not prevent the Legislature from closing committee meetings, the State Supreme Court ruled in a suit brought by the Idaho Press Club. The media group argued that the constitution provided that the “business of each house” must be conducted “openly, and not in secret session.” But the court, in a 3-2 vote, agreed with a lower court that the language applied only to general sessions and not the committee hearings. (3/24/06)