The Joint Democratic Caucus urges the immediate release of the federal COVID relief funds for child care businesses by the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. Idaho’s child care professionals keep our economy running, helping parents and caregivers enter and stay in the workforce, which is more crucial than ever. If we do not provide meaningful support now, the child care …
Continue reading
The House Democratic Caucus issued this statement following the resignation of Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger: “We are in awe of Jane Doe’s bravery in coming forward and testifying before the House Ethics Committee. We also applaud the other women who spoke during the hearing and shared their stories. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to make a report and …
Continue reading
The Senate passed House Bill 377 in a 27-8 vote Monday in hopes of pacifying far-right lawmakers, who have held both the public and higher education budgets hostage due to unfounded concerns over curricula in Idaho schools. The legislation, which passed out of the Senate Education Committee on a 6-3 vote the same day, seeks to dictate teachers’ discussions with …
Continue reading
On Thursday, the House GOP passed a bill to discourage educators from teaching anything in relation to “social justice,” as a way to pacify far-right legislators, who have held both the public and higher education budgets hostage due to unfounded concerns over curricula in Idaho schools. House Bill 377 was opposed by all Democrats, and passed along party lines, 57-12. …
Continue reading
Just a day after Gov. Brad Little vetoed legislation seeking to trim his emergency powers, he signed Senate Bill 1110 into law, destroying the initiative and referendum rights of the people. The bill seeks to make an already onerous process ostensibly impossible by doubling the district signature requirements needed, rising to 6% of signatures of registered voters in all 35 …
Continue reading
On Friday, Gov. Brad Little vetoed legislation seeking to trim the powers of the governor in disaster emergencies and increase those of the Legislature. Both House Bill 135 and Senate Bill 1136 were opposed by the House and Senate Democrats. House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel said Little made the right choice to veto the two bills, and hopes he’ll do …
Continue reading
The ballot initiative is the voice of the people. It’s the only mechanism for Idahoans to enact a law when legislators won’t listen. This session, Idahoans’ ballot initiative rights were put on the chopping block, and GOP legislators swung the axe. It’s already extremely difficult to get an initiative on the ballot, but S1110 would make it essentially impossible by …
Continue reading
On Wednesday, the House passed Senate Bill 1089 in a unanimous vote, repealing a portion of Idaho law that provides exceptions to the criminal definition of rape based on the relationship of the parties, where those actions are otherwise illegal outside of marriage. Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, drafted the legislation to address a long-standing inconsistency in the law that can …
Continue reading
Investing in infrastructure is something almost all Idahoan’s can agree on, yet we haven’t got it down. This might be the year we can make to make the compromises and get started on it. It’s one of mine and Gov. Brad Little’s top legislative priorities. The recent Boise State University’s Idaho Policy Institute study is one of a long line …
Continue reading
In a 51-18 vote, House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1110, which seeks to add nearly insurmountable hurdles to the ballot initiative and referendum process in Idaho. House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, debated strongly against it, and said the bill seeks to make an already onerous process ostensibly impossible by doubling the district signature requirements needed. Rubel said Idaho already …
Continue reading