2025 Legislative Session News
Open Letter to Governor Little: Idaho Needs Your Leadership
Dear Governor Little, Idaho is at a crossroads and human lives are at stake. As Nurse Connelly said during your press conference, 3,000 people died in the U.S. from COVID-19 today alone. That is more than the number of lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack. The...
Governor Little Takes Idaho Back to Stage 2 and Deploys National Guard
On Friday, Governor Brad Little announced that the Idaho National Guard would be mobilized through executive order to assist in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. He also rolled Idaho back to Stage 2 of the Idaho Rebounds plan with modifications to the...
Governor Little Moves Idaho to Stage 3 of Idaho Rebounds Plan
On Monday, Governor Little announced in a press conference that Idaho would be moved back to Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan. On October 27, 2020 at 12:00 am MST, the following restrictions will be put in effect: Indoor gatherings will be limited to 50 or less...
“HJR 4 Just Makes Sense” – by Rep. Ilana Rubel and Rep. Scott Bedke
The ballots submitted by the Republican speaker of the house and the Democratic leader of the house will probably look very different this year, but there is one spot where they will look the same. We are both voting “yes” on House Joint Resolution 4, and we encourage...
“Idaho is at a Turning Point” – by James Ruchti
For those of you who followed the Special Session, if your response was similar to mine, you were greatly disturbed by what happened. I'm not talking about the legislation that was passed, although I have concerns with that, as well. I'm talking about the behavior of...
“An Uncivil Waste of Taxpayer Dollars” – by Rep. Chris Abernathy
The special session was more dangerous and uncivil that Idaho citizens could have ever predicted. The week before the special session of the Idaho Legislature began, Idaho Democratic legislators met (virtually) to discuss how to be safe and healthy. We had hoped that...
CFAC Allocates Over $69 Thousand to Boise Police Department for Service During Special Session
Idaho State Capitol – In the committees’ most recent meeting, CFAC allocated $69,052.43 of CARES act funding to the Boise Police Department (BPD). The funding will pay for the officers’ service during the special session of the Idaho legislature in late August. This...
Governor Announces CARES Funding Will Supplement Education Cuts
On Friday afternoon, Governor Little announced that he would use $99 million from the CARES act to supplement the $99 million in education cuts that he announced earlier this year. Representative Melissa Wintrow/(D-Boise) was relieved to hear the announcement from...
“An Extraordinarily Unproductive Session” – by Rep. Green and Rep. Necochea
As we face a global pandemic and the resulting economic fallout, Idahoans may have been hopeful about the legislature’s recent special session. Since the pandemonium at the Statehouse dominated the news, Idahoans may still be wondering what was actually accomplished....
Coronavirus Civil Liability Immunity Legislation Passes Idaho House
Idaho State Capitol – On Wednesday, the Idaho House passed House Bill 6, which would provide immunity from civil liability related to damages or injury from coronavirus, including for grossly negligent conduct. The legislation now awaits a hearing in the Senate...
Governor Announces In-Person Special Session Amid Global Pandemic
Idaho - On Wednesday, Governor Brad Little issued a proclamation with legislation that will be considered during the Idaho legislature’s special session beginning on August 24, 2020. Out of 6 proposed topics by House and Senate Leadership, Governor Little has...
“Celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage” – by Sen. Stennett, Rep. Toone, and Rep. Davis
A hundred years ago, in 1920, the United States came out of the First World War and celebrated a new decade and a changing world. The world was recovering from the Spanish flu pandemic, the automobile industry was beginning to take off, and Americans wrestled with...
Anti-Transgender Athlete Ban Enjoined by Federal Court
Idaho – A federal court has granted a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of House Bill 500, the transgender athlete ban passed by a Republican supermajority during the 2020 session and signed into law by Governor Little. In doing so, the court found that the...
“One thing you can do right now to improve Idaho’s future” – by Sen. Stennett, Rep. Davis, and Rep. Toone
2020 is an unprecedented year. Although residents of South-Central Idaho continue to face hardships that defy imagination, our communities have proven their resolve through a heroic commitment to stand together in this time of need. 2020 will surely be seen as a major...
Anti-Transgender Birth Certificate Law Struck Down by Court
On Friday, the U.S. District Court of Idaho ruled against legislation passed by the Idaho Legislature barring Idahoans from changing their gender marker on their birth certificate. House Bill 509 was in violation of 2018 federal court ruling that decided Idaho’s...
“Don’t Fall for Name-Calling and Distortions. Democrats are Fighting for Idaho’s Future” – by Idaho House and Senate Democrats
Republican politicians have had supermajority control of the legislature and every statewide office for decades. Under their governance, Idaho has sunk to 51st place in education investment (and, remarkably, now they want to cut another $99 million from our education...
Democrats Propose Slate of Solutions for Idaho
On Monday, the Idaho Democratic leadership held a press conference to propose a slate of Democratic solutions that would address the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and set the state on the path to a better future. Senate Democratic Leader Michelle...
“Idaho Parents Need Better Childcare Options” – by Dulce Kersting-Lark
Childcare is a non-negotiable part of parenthood. Every child will need some form of childcare whether they have a parent staying home, a relative willing to give full-time care, or a close-by daycare center. Idaho parents, unfortunately, face more barriers to...