2025 Legislative Session News
Little Signs Irresponsible Property Tax Bill
On Wednesday, Gov. Brad Little signed the GOP’s grossly irresponsible property tax bill, which will not lower property taxes for most residents and potentially harms those most in need. The legislation had bipartisan opposition in the House and Senate. Many local...
Idaho Democrats Deeply Disappointed in Little’s Decision to Withdraw from Federal Unemployment Programs
On Tuesday, Gov. Brad Little announced the state would end its participation in all federal pandemic unemployment compensation programs on June 19, causing further damage to Idaho’s working families, who have endured more than a year of financial hardship. Certain...
House Democratic Caucus Supports Rep. Mathias in Higher Ed Debate
The House Democratic Caucus released the following statement after far-right lawmakers objected to Rep. Chris Mathias’ debate on the higher education budget: “We stand with Rep. Mathias — the Idaho Legislature’s first and only black male representative, as well as the...
House GOP Proposes Irresponsible Property Tax Bill
In the House Ways and Means Committee Monday, GOP lawmakers introduced a grossly irresponsible property tax bill, providing residents with minimal relief and potentially harming those most in need. If the homeowner’s exemption had not been capped at $100,000 by...
Senate Democratic Caucus Urges the Defeat of HB 380
This week, the Senate will likely vote on House Bill 380, legislation that slashes income tax rates with the benefits flowing overwhelmingly to those at the top of the income spectrum. Sen. Ali Rabe, who argued against it in the Senate Local Government and Taxation...
Joint Democratic Caucus Calls on JFAC to Release Relief Funds for Child Care Businesses
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...
House Democrats Support Ethics Committee Recommendation, Resignation of Rep. von Ehlinger
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...
Senate GOP Expedites Passage of HB 377 as a Condition for Funding Education in Idaho
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...
House GOP Passes Bill to Restrict Educators as a Condition of Funding Education
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...
Democrats Disappointed in Gov. Little’s Decision to Sign SB 1110
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...
Democrats Support Gov. Little’s Decision To Veto Emergency Power Bills
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...
“Voters must not reward their own suppression” – by Rep. Ilana Rubel
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...
Dem-Sponsored Bill to End Spousal Rape Exception Moves to Governor’s Desk After Unanimous Passage in Senate, House
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....
Idaho’s Transportation Future
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...
House GOP Passes Bill Making Citizen-driven Ballot Initiatives Virtually Impossible in Idaho
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...
“It’s time to reflect the actual will of the people” – by Rep. James Ruchti
This session, we have seen endless legislation related to the consolidation of power by the extreme right. It began with stripping power from other elected officials. This included restricting the governor’s power to act in an emergency, limiting the attorney...
Idaho Legislature to Close for Two Weeks Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
Due to the overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases occurring in the Statehouse, the Idaho Legislature will recess until April 6. Democratic Leaders Ilana Rubel and Michelle Stennett said they wish the individuals who’ve tested positive a full and speedy recovery, and...
Senate Narrowly Kills GOP-Sponsored Bill to Cap Local Government Budgets
The Senate narrowly killed S1108 in a 17-18 vote Thursday. The GOP-sponsored legislation sought to cap local governments’ budgets in an effort to lower property taxes for residents. However, opponents of the bill, which included all seven Democrats, said it provided...