“Idaho’s ballot initiative is the only recourse our citizens have against an increasingly extremist, out-of-touch GOP-supermajority Legislature. Only 15 ballot initiatives have passed since 1936, and Idaho’s process is already among the most restrictive in the nation.

“We were thankful to see H85 fail 7-7 today in committee, which would have allowed the governor to veto any ballot initiative, but we urge voters to contact their lawmakers to oppose SJR101, which passed 5-3. That bill would make it nearly impossible to qualify initiatives for a ballot. Currently, the law requires valid signatures from 6% of voters in 18 legislative districts, but this amendment would increase the requirement to 6% of voters in all of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, a barrier that is insurmountable for all practical purposes. This bill is a blatant attack on citizen participation and undermines direct democracy. It is an underhanded attempt to trick Idaho voters into giving up the fundamental rights that were recognized in 2021 by the Idaho Supreme Court.

“As Democrats, we will always work to protect your voting and ballot initiative rights, and will oppose the GOP-led onslaught of attacks on those rights.”

BOISE (Feb. 7, 2025) – The Idaho House of Representatives took up H93 this morning, Rep. Wendy Horman’s (R-Idaho Falls) bill to subsidize private and religious school tuition through a tax credit without basic accountability standards for those schools.

At 2 p.m. MST, there will be a press conference in the statehouse in West Wing room 17 to speak directly to the 314,000 Idaho families with kids in public schools, teachers, taxpayers, and the business community about why H93 is the wrong path for Idaho.

“This is a voucher scheme that opens a door that cannot be closed and has busted the budgets of every state that has allowed it,” said House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel. “Idaho must keep public dollars in public schools where they are badly needed, not siphon those dollars away to welfare for the wealthy. People should contact their legislators and the Governor immediately – time is running out to stop this.”

One of the slated press conference speakers is former Caldwell Republican Rep. Julie Yamamoto, who lost her primary after dark money, pro-voucher groups spread lies about her through direct mailers.

“It is fiscally reckless to ask the taxpayers of Idaho to subsidize their wealthy neighbor’s private school choice,” said Yamamoto. “We are seeing what happens when out-of-state billionaires come after lawmakers who stand up for public education and accountability for taxpayer dollars.”

Other speakers include:

• Rod Gramer, former president at CEO of Idaho Business for Education, a group of more than 250 business owners that oppose H93
• Stoney Winston, Fruitland School District Superintendent
• Norman Stewart, Marsing School District Superintendent
• Alexis Morgan, President, Idaho PTA
• Terri Sanders, a special education teacher from Mountain Home
• Alicia Purdy, special education teacher, Vallivue School District
• Assistant Senate Minority Leader James Ruchti (D-Pocatello)

To arrange interviews with the speakers, please attend the press conference or text Caitlin Copple at (406) 493-4281.

“HB 93 is another budget-busting voucher scheme being pushed on Idahoans by out-of-state special interests. Proponents argue that vouchers help low-income families access private schools, but that is simply not true. Data show that the vast majority of students using vouchers in other states – 80% in one study – were already attending these expensive schools. This bill amounts to a government handout for wealthy families, and the money will inevitably come at the expense of public education funding. HB93 also fails to include any of the core principles of fairness, responsibility, accountability and transparency that Gov. Little has said he wants to see in any voucher bill.

This bill puts Idaho on a reckless fiscal track without any meaningful standards or accountability. There’s not one state yet that has managed to stay anywhere near the promised budget outlook – just look at the data in Arizona, Indiana, Florida, Texas, Georgia. In Arizona, vouchers were expected to cost $65 million, but have exploded past $800 million, forcing deep cuts to vital state programs and projects.

Regardless of intent, vouchers unleash a cascade of terrible consequences: blown budgets, increased inequality, defunded public schools, higher property taxes and weakened educational outcomes. Once open, the damage from this Pandora’s Box is irreversible.

Idaho is already among the nation’s leaders in school choice, with online virtual and in-person charter schools, gifted and talented programs, special education, open enrollment, alternative education, magnet schools and vocational-technical schools. Vouchers are wrong for Idaho and will disproportionately harm already-struggling rural school districts.”

According to the 2024 Boise State University Public Policy Survey, only 14.9% of Idahoans said that the Legislature should prioritize sending tax dollars to private and religious schools.

Once again, majority party leaders in the Idaho Legislature are giving a huge tax break to corporations and the most wealthy Idahoans while hardworking Idahoans struggle to make ends meet amidst rising costs and financial hardship. Today’s proposed Republican tax cut is yet another example of irresponsible fiscal management.

The proposed income tax cut is part of over $400 million per year proposed being taken away from public schools, fixing an aging infrastructure, and other vital services Idahoans depend on. That’s over $4 billion being taken away from state revenue over the next 10 years. The average Idaho family will receive about a $127 dollar tax break while the most wealthy will receive over $5,300, according to the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy.

If we are going to cut taxes it should address what everyday Idahoans have been asking for year after year – repeal the grocery tax and lower property taxes. The Idaho Democratic caucus is committed to provide meaningful tax relief that helps hardworking Idahoans, not the wealthy and well-connected.

Rep. Steve Berch is available for further comment, please call 208-890-9339.

“Idaho Democrats support meaningful property tax and grocery tax reductions to address the rising costs of housing and food. But once again, we see the GOP supermajority allocating crumbs for Idaho families struggling to make ends meet while bestowing vast tax cuts on the wealthy and well-connected. Today’s proposed property tax relief is one-fifth the amount of the $250 million income tax cut being proposed that will overwhelmingly benefit the richest individuals and corporations.“

Idaho Democrats support common-sense fiscal policies that ensure the state balances a fair tax structure with funding the essential services Idahoans expect, including public education, public safety and infrastructure. Taken as a whole, the tax cut bills that have been put forward by our GOP colleagues this session do not meet that standard.”

“Idahoans deserve a meaningful break on their grocery bills. Yet Republicans are extending a pittance to working families in the form of a $35 increase in the tax credit for groceries. Meanwhile, they have proposed a quarter of a billion dollar income tax cut that will overwhelmingly benefit the richest individuals and corporations, while leaving the state unable to adequately fund necessary services.

We are frustrated by the priorities of the supermajority party that puts the most wealthy and well-connected ahead of those struggling to afford basic needs, including groceries.”

BOISE (Jan. 27, 2025) — A joint memorial to ask the United States Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality – the law of the land since 2015 – passed the Idaho House of Representatives 46-24 during the 11 a.m. floor session today.

“This is a mean-spirited, divisive, and wasteful piece of legislation,” said House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel. “Instead of focusing on affordable housing or helping Idahoans manage the impact of inflation, GOP politicians are using their supermajority power to bully a small number of people who simply want the freedom to marry whom they love and to live in peace. Our legislature must get out of the business of persecuting its own citizens.”

Rep. Todd Achilles spoke during the floor debate on the matter, countering the notion that this memorial is a states’ rights issue.

“This memorial is not about states’ rights – it’s the opposite. It calls upon the Supreme Court to rule that marriage must be between a man and a woman, trampling the rights of states that protect marriage equality,” he said. “This is the very definition of government overreach.”

Representative John Gannon added, “What this is about for me is freedom. The partner you choose is not the government’s choice nor should it be. This memorial flies in the face of freedom and should be rejected.”

Americans overwhelmingly support same sex marriage: 71% approved of it in a 2023 Gallup poll, a 27% increase since 1996 and 42% in 2006 (Gallup, 6/5/23). A 2022 Idaho Statesman poll found only 37% of Idahoans opposed same-sex marriage.

Of the emails submitted to the State Affairs Committee concerning HJM1, 99% were opposed to the memorial.

Starting this month, women across our state will have access to up to six months of prescription birth control at a time (previously, plans could limit prescriptions to one month at a time). This policy represents a significant step forward in supporting Idahoans’ health, economic stability and autonomy at a time our draconian, conflicting reproductive rights laws have led to pregnant women being airlifted to Utah and more than 22% of our OBGYNs fleeing the state.

Access to contraceptives is an easy way to remove the barriers women face when trying to take control of their reproductive health, particularly in Idaho where the consequences of being pregnant — even when that’s what you desperately want — are life and death. Current insurance policies often restrict women to picking up a one- or three-month supply of birth control, creating logistical challenges, particularly for women living in rural areas, working multiple jobs or attending college.

These hurdles are compounded by Idaho’s nearly total abortion ban, which makes it more critical than ever to ensure women have the tools they need to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

Bi-partisan consensus — barely
The passage of my bill shows that there is bipartisan consensus that access to contraceptives is both a practical and necessary investment in our communities. Those in the majority party who say they want to reduce abortions should note that their extreme policies have contributed to rising abortion rates.

Yet the reality is my bill barely passed, 34-35, and it took five years. That’s a testament to the perseverance of advocates, the compelling testimony of medical professionals, and the common-sense recognition of what this legislation achieves. But it shouldn’t be this hard, particularly when the research is so clear.

The benefits of providing a six-month supply of birth control are well-documented. Research shows that women who receive longer supplies of contraceptives are less likely to experience gaps in use, reducing the risk of unplanned pregnancies. For women in rural Idaho, who may live hours from a pharmacy, this policy eliminates the monthly or quarterly trips that often disrupt consistent usage.

Doctors and public health experts who supported this bill highlighted its far-reaching impact. Being able to plan a pregnancy we can also reduce maternal mortality rates and the economic strain on families. Contraceptive access is a proven way to help women achieve economic self-sufficiency, allowing them to pursue education and career opportunities without the financial and personal challenges of an unplanned pregnancy.

Birth control is also prescribed for many reasons beyond preventing pregnancy — it helps manage painful, private medical conditions associated with reproductive health. Making it more available is an investment in women, families, and Idaho’s economic future.

Finding common ground at the Statehouse
Idaho will join a growing list of states that have implemented similar policies. Women will have one less barrier to contend with as they make personal decisions about their health and futures. This law is not just about convenience; it’s about empowering women to live their lives on their own terms.

I am grateful to my colleagues who voted in favor of this bill and to Gov. Brad Little for allowing it to become law. But our work is far from over. As we look ahead, let’s continue to find ways to support Idaho women and families with policies that reflect our shared values of health, independence, and opportunity.

Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, is the Idaho Senate minority leader and represents District 19.

IDAHO CAPITOL – House and Senate Democrats will analyze the 2023 Legislative Session including the bills that were passed, the bills that were killed and those that were vetoed.

Lawmakers will discuss the two divergent paths we saw in this year’s legislature. The first is a hopeful pathway of compromise and cooperation that was behind bills like the Launch bill or the Clean Slate bill. The second path leads us to bills that victimize trans kids, their parents and doctors and bills that threaten our community and school libraries.

Idaho is at a crossroads and this year’s legislative session showed us clearly the two directions we can go.

Press members are welcome to join in-person or follow the live Facebook broadcast on the Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus Committee page.

Questions from in-person reporters will be welcome.

WHAT: Democratic lawmakers Sine Die press conference

WHERE: Minority House caucus room – fourth floor

WHEN: Thursday April 6, 2 p.m. or upon adjournment

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