9TH CIRCUIT SPLIT PLAN MOVES FORWARD

Washington, DC â?? Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig said the effort to split the size of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gained momentum today with the introduction of two bills in the Senate seeking to change the 9th Circuit. Both senators have signed on to co-sponsor both bills.â??With bills moving in both the House and Senate, it is obvious our colleagues from around the country have agreed the 9th Circuit is just too large to properly serve the residents of Idaho and other states in the West. A split is inevitable,â?? the Senators said.Crapo and Craig signed onto a bill (S. 1296) being offered by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), which would retain California and Hawaii in the current 9th Circuit, and place the remaining current 9th Circuit states into a new circuit. Other Western state senators are also expected to co-sponsor the measure.Idahoâ??s senators also co-sponsored a related bill to expedite the effort to consider a 9th Circuit split. Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada) introduced a bill (S. 1301) that would leave California and Hawaii in the 9th Circuit. Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Montana would be grouped together in one new circuit. Alaska, Washington, and Oregon would be grouped together in another new circuit. That bill is the same format as the House version of the measure that has been introduced by Idaho Representative Mike Simpson.