All Idahoans deserve the opportunity to enjoy the highest quality of life, and for this to happen, necessary improvements must be made to the state’s behavioral health system. Behavioral health issues impact our communities at all levels: schools, hospitals, courts, jails, and more. This is why the Idaho Behavioral Health Council — which features members from each branch of government, …
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Idaho continues to make national news for its booming real estate market as people flock to the Gem State in droves, causing home values and rental costs to skyrocket. As a result, people who’ve lived here for generations are being forced to move to other states. In some cases, Idahoans are losing their housing and becoming homeless for the very …
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The following is a conversation between Sen. Melissa Wintrow and Boise High student Shiva Rajbhandari on the exclusion of students in discussions about public education. Wintrow: You were in school when allegations of teachers indoctrinating students started to circulate this year. How did you react? Rajbhandari: It was like, “Wow, they are attacking teachers when they are already putting in …
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When I was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2018, I requested, and was assigned to the Education committee. Given the challenges facing education, such as endless school bonds and levies, a teacher attrition crisis and childhood illiteracy, I was eager to start working toward the goal of solving these problems. After three years on the committee, my …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 general’s job responsibilities, and pulling power from local elected officials. More recently, the extreme right has targeted voters by passing …
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Opposition to “social justice” by the Idaho Legislature, while troubling, is not surprising. If you are in a majority, who has experienced power and advantage, it’s uncomfortable to admit you’ve been part of an unfair system. This may be why Republican politicians are defunding education programs that teach a more complete story of American history. Republican legislators have leveled an …
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You’re being bamboozled. Republican Party leaders repeatedly say you should be afraid of “tax-and-spend Democrats.” Instead, there are over two billion reasons you should be afraid of them. Over the last five years, the legislature has forced school districts across the state to float nearly $2.1 BILLION in local bonds and levies. This includes many conservative, rural school districts across the …
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Idaho’s politicians have all kinds of snappy quotes about health insurance. How it doesn’t keep you healthy, and how no one’s every died from not having it — but that’s simply not true. Research shows those with health insurance are healthier than those without because they can access regular doctor’s visits and preventative care. Helping everyone access health insurance should …
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