Below are selected bills that were signed into law by the Governor this year, sorted by the following categories:
- Revenue & Taxation
- Education
- Health & Welfare
- Business
- Crime/Judicial
- Local Government
- Sex
- Other
Revenue & Taxation
Permanently reduce state revenue by $253 million/year (H40 – signed into law). This bill is advertised as the largest tax cut bill in Idaho history. It is just one of multiple tax cut bills that collectively removes over $450 million from revenue collection each year. That’s a $4.5 BILLION reduction in revenue over the next 10 years while the state has over $10 billion in current and future requirements for transportation, school facility, and vital services. This tax cut also fails to consider economic uncertainties, such as:
- Failure to meet the state’s revenue projections (which is already over $100 million behind forecast).
- The impact of drastic cuts in money Idaho gets from the federal government (e.g. DOGE).
- A significant, sustained downturn in the economy.
I voted AGAINST this bill which is the poster child for fiscal irresponsibility.
Property tax relief (H304 – signed into law). This bill provides an additional $100 million of property tax relief every year. I was absent for the vote on this bill. However, I would have VOTED FOR this bill had I been present. However, this relief comes at the risk of not being able to adequately fund public education. It takes $100 million every year out of the source of funding for public schools. I decided to support this bill because property tax relief is also a top issue for my constituents and this is the only way majority party leadership will allow it to be provided.
Increase the food tax credit (H231 – signed into law). The current grocery tax credit is $120 per person ($140 for individuals 65 and older). This bill increases grocery tax credit for all individuals to $155. It also provides the option to receive a refund up to $250/person by itemizing grocery expenses. However, this $250 refund is nearly impossible for most people to obtain given the requirement to provide a year’s worth of grocery receipts to justify the additional credit.
I support a complete repeal of the grocery tax. Unfortunately, this bill doesn’t do that. However, I VOTED FOR this bill because it is one of the top issues for many of my constituents and it’s the only form of grocery tax relief the legislature will allow us to vote on.
Allow county commissioners to impose property taxes on hospitals (H130 – signed into law). This bill eliminates a state law that exempts property taxes on hospitals and gives that authority to county commissioners, who can then decide whether to grant a property tax exemption in full, partially, or not at all. I voted AGAINST this bill, which will ultimately result in higher medical and insurance costs, since hospitals will wind up passing the cost of their increased tax burden onto patients.
Education
Idaho Parental School Choice tax credit (H93 – signed into law). This bill allocates $50 million in the form of a $5,000 tax credit per child in each household on a first-come, first-served basis ($7,500 for special needs students). Preference is given to households with incomes making up to three times the poverty line ($92,000/year income for a family of four). The $50 million would fund only about 3,000 households with three or more school-age children. There are many reasons I voted AGAINST this bill:
This is not a “school choice” bill. Idaho already offers just about every school choice a parent would want. This is a “you pay for someone else’s school choice” bill. Your tax dollars will be given to someone else to help pay the tuition for their child to attend a for-profit private or religious school.
Underfunding of public schools will continue. Every public tax dollar made available to private and religious schools is one less dollar available for public education.
This bill is the first step toward universal vouchers. The sponsor revealed this when describing the bill as providing “universal eligibility” which will eventually require funding universal participation.
There are no consequences for removing your child from the public school system (e.g. not being able to return at will, having to test for grade level if/when they return, losing access to public school sports teams, arts, etc.).
Parents lose protections provided by public schools that are taken for granted, such as:
- Accountability – Performance, graduation requirements, curriculum, testing, teacher certification
- Admittance – private schools can reject your child for any reason without explanation
- Expulsion – private schools can expel your child at any time without reason or recourse
- Grievances – private schools can ignore any concern or complaint you may have
- Cost – private schools can raise your tuition by any amount whenever they want
- Accommodations – private schools do not have to provide any learning or physical accommodations
- Safety – private schools do not have to perform background checks on staff
There is no protection from scammers who get the money and then expel your child or shut down.
Most of the benefit will likely go to wealthy families who already pay for private schools (which has been the case in other states).
Property taxes will go up and stay high as school districts continue floating bonds and levies to make up for lost funding diverted to private and religious schools.
The legislature has a constitutional responsibility to support and protect Idaho’s public school system, not lay the groundwork to destroy it. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Limit the type of flags and banners that can be displayed on public school property (H41 – signed into law). The real purpose of this bill is to ban a rainbow flag from being displayed in a public school. To disguise that purpose, the bill bans all flags and banners with a few noted exceptions. I voted AGAINST this loophole-ridden bill.
Control student use of cell phones while in school (S1032 – signed into law). This bill gives local school districts the flexibility to create policies in regard to allowing cell phones in public schools. It does not mandate a statewide ban on cell phones in the classroom, but it allows local school districts to establish policies that create a distraction-free learning environment. I VOTED FOR this much needed bill.
Free speech on college campuses (H240 – signed into law). This bill lets students and student organizations do and say almost anything they want anywhere on campus with few restrictions. It also prevents the college from charging a security fee, no matter how inflammatory a guest speaker might be or their history in inciting civil disobedience. The bill includes penalties of up to $25,000 (plus other damages), and a lawsuit can be filed up to a year after an alleged violation. The sneaky part of this bill is the definition of a “student organization” which includes a group seeking official recognition.” This means that any group such as neo-Nazis that have requested but not received official recognition are free to hold rallies on campus – with the university paying for any security costs. I voted AGAINST this bill that has a great sounding title but can create far more trouble than the imaginary problem it is trying to solve. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Shift Idaho’s participation in WWAMI to other possible medical schools (H368 – signed into law). Idaho does not have a medical school. For decades, Idaho has partnered with other western states (WWAMI – Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) by acquiring slots for Idaho medical students at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSM). After finding a reference to DEI and abortion in the curriculum taught at UWSM, an effort began to distance Idaho’s participation in WWAMI. I voted AGAINST this bill that enables reducing Idaho’s participation in WWAMI for political reasons at a time when Idaho is in desperate need of medical doctors, especially in rural parts of the state. We should be increasing the number seats Idaho has in WWAMI instead.
Civics test requirements for graduating high school (H397 – signed into law). This bill lists 11 components the State Department of Education (SDE) must include in a civics test. This bill is completely unnecessary. It is the responsibility of the SDE to set curriculum standards, including graduation requirements. By adding these requirements into statute, the legislature can change the requirements in a future bill. For example, the legislature can add another requirement to have the Bible to be taught as one of the country’s founding documents (which some legislators have suggested). I voted AGAINST this bill which invites ulterior motives and is yet another unnecessary power-grab by the legislature.
Require the teaching of sex education in public schools to be an opt-in instead of the current opt-out (H239 – signed into law). This bill prohibits the teaching of sex education in public schools unless the parent submits a signed opt-in consent. State policy has been that every child be taught sex education unless the parent requests to opt-out their child. This bill turns that policy upside down so that no child will be taught sex education unless the parent requests to opt-in their child to attend. I voted AGAINST this terrible bill. Current participation in sex education classes is about 97% (3% opt-out). Requiring an opt-in will likely drop participation rates well below 50%. More young adults will make poor, uninformed choices resulting in the spread of sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancies and potentially more abortions. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Repeal the Empowering Parents Grant program (S1142 – signed into law). This bill eliminates a program that provides financial aid to families for items that would aide in learning. I voted AGAINST this bill. While the legislature throws $50 million of your tax dollars at private and religious schools with zero accountability, this bill takes away $30 million of benefits available to the parents of public school students.
Remove everything that might be considered “DEI” from higher education (S1198 – signed into law). This bill prohibits anything considered to be “DEI” from pertaining to student admission, faculty hiring, employee incentives, offices and officer positions, diversity training, and reporting systems. In addition, anyone can notify the Attorney General if they think there’s a violation – thus creating hordes of anti-DEI vigilantes. Huge financial penalties can be imposed on the institution. I voted AGAINST this bill rooted in manufactured hysteria. I did not debate against this bill, but I did debate against a similar bill in the House Education committee last year. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Health & Welfare
Cut Medicaid costs by covering fewer citizens (H345 – signed into law). This bill attempts to cut the state’s Medicaid cost by significantly expanding work requirements and thus reducing the number of people covered. Results in other states show that about one-fourth of Medicaid recipients get kicked off the program – mostly due to not being able to keep up with the mountain of new paperwork created to maintain their benefits. The managed care portion of this bill can increase administrative costs from about 3% to an estimated 15%, which goes to the bottom-line profits of third parties at the expense of benefits to participants. I voted AGAINST this bill. It is an attempt to move closer to the full repeal of Medicaid Expansion.
Medical Freedom Act (S1210 – signed into law). This bill prohibits any government entity or private business from placing any medical requirement on any person or employee infected with a contagious, potentially deadly disease (e.g. measles, tuberculosis, pertussis, RSV, spinal meningitis, or some new virus). An infected person would have the “medical freedom” – without any personal responsibility or accountability – to come and go as they please, and not even have to tell their employer or co-workers that they are or might be contagious. I voted AGAINST this irresponsible bill that violates the rights of private business owners, ignores the freedom of others to not be forced to work side-by-side with a contagious co-worker, and presents a clear danger to public health and safety. CLICK HERE to see my debate against the House version of this bill (H472).
Prohibit local ordinances pertaining to the licensing of daycare facilities (H243 – signed into law). This bill removes nearly all local control of daycare licensing and gives it to the state. The real intent of this bill appears to mitigate the shortage in daycare facilities by eliminating regulations. Proponents claim that the free market alone should decide these issues. It’s not that simple, especially in communities where there are few choices. Working parents desperate to find daycare will no longer be able to rest assured that a daycare facility will meet their expectations for child safety and caregiving. I voted AGAINST this short-sighted bill which eliminates fundamental consumer health and safety protections for parents and their children.
Provide coverage for supplemental breast cancer screening (H134 – signed into law). This bill would require medical insurance coverage for persons with a heightened risk of breast cancer due to a genetic predisposition to breast cancer, presence of BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, prior radiation therapy or extremely dense breast tissue. I VOTED FOR this bill, which will save the lives of people who can’t afford the cost of additional screening and thus don’t receive the treatment they need in a timely manner.
Medical Ethics Defense Act (H59 – signed into law). This bill allows any medical provider to refuse to provide non-emergency care to anyone if they felt doing so would “violate their sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.” This bill is really about denying services specifically to transgendered individuals but hides that purpose behind a broader right to deny medical care. Our loved ones are put at risk when doctors and nurses can pick and choose who does or doesn’t get medical care when they need it. I voted AGAINST this bill, which is part of an ongoing effort to legislate transgendered individuals out of existence.
Exclude candy and soda from supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits (H109 – signed into law). This bill would exclude candy and soda from SNAP-eligible foods. It is problematic for several reasons. This is a federal program and any changes should be done at the federal level, especially with a new incoming administration. The bill contains arbitrary definitions for “candy” and “soda” that could result in items like banning nutritious power bars but still allowing the purchase of Jell-O and potato chips. I voted AGAINST this bill whose real purpose appears to generate outrage against a single mom receiving public assistance and using it to buy their kid an occasional candy bar instead of broccoli.
Improve child protection services (S1090 – signed into law). This new law decreases the time children spend in foster care by promoting more frequent judicial review of cases and expedites the permanent placement of children in adoptive homes when parents fail to complete court-ordered case plans. I VOTED FOR this improvement to the child protection services process.
Eliminate public benefits for persons who cannot show they are lawfully in the United States (H135 – signed into law). This bill eliminates benefits for anyone not lawfully in this country, including: testing and immunization for communicable diseases, access to food kitchens, pre-natal and post-natal care, and food assistance for dependent children. The problem with this bill is that it targets children who did not decide to come to the United States illegally. It also creates a public health risk for Idahoans who can become infected by those who have been denied immunization for communicable diseases. I voted AGAINST this bill. It is cruel to innocent children, presents a risk to Idahoans, and can’t demonstrate a quantified cost savings to taxpayers.
Limit the abilities of district health boards (S1031 – signed into law). This bill removes a district health board’s ability to take certain actions for public health, including preventative measures. I voted AGAINST this unnecessary bill that is a remnant from the COVID pandemic and could limit health boards from taking necessary actions in the face of a future deadly threat to Idahoans, especially for children who are too young to be immunized.
Prohibit any level of state government or official from mandating the use of masks(H32 – signed into law). This bill actually facilitates the spread of contagious, infectious diseases. It is the height of irresponsibility to prevent steps from being taken in the event of a future threat to public health and safety, be it a local outbreak of measles or tuberculosis, or a future mutation of a highly deadly virus for which there is no vaccine or cure. I voted AGAINST this bill which is an insult to medical science while exalting ignorance and fear.
Allow pharmacies to sell Ivermectin for use by humans without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional (S1211 – signed into law). There is not a single member of the Idaho Legislature who is a medical doctor, an infectious disease expert, or a licensed pharmacist. In short, the legislature has no expertise or credentials to decide what medications are safe, harmful, effective, or ineffective for human consumption. This is a job for professionals, not politicians armed mostly with anecdotes. I voted AGAINST this politically motivated bill fueled by post-COVID hysteria whipped up by extremists in the legislature and on social media.
Business
Protect vulnerable adults from financial exploitation (H323 – signed into law). This bill would allow authorized state agencies to investigate a credible report claiming financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. I VOTED FOR this bill, which provides a measure of consumer protection, especially for the elderly who are often victimized by scammers.
Increase homeowner control of their HOA (H361 – signed into law). This bill gives the homeowners in a subdivision representation on their Homeowners Association (HOA) board six months after 75% of the lots are conveyed to homeowners. It also outlines the complete transfer of the HOA within one year to homeowners after 95% of the development is built and occupied. Homeowners living in new subdivisions that are not built out are often frustrated by the complete control the developer has until the last lot is sold. While I would have preferred terms friendlier to homeowners, I VOTED FOR this bill which is a small, but first step in the right direction.
Enhanced consumer privacy in mortgage transactions (H149 – signed into law). This bill prohibits business practices that can confuse consumers who are unable to distinguish whether they are receiving a contact from their actual mortgage lender or another company attempting to solicit their business. I VOTED FOR this bill which is good consumer protection legislation.
Prohibit local governments from requiring parking spaces be enabled for electric vehicle charging (H86 – signed into law). This bill prevents cities from enacting ordnances requiring that conduit be installed in parking lots that can facilitate the installation of EV charging stations in the future. This decision is best left to local governments, especially where electric vehicles are popular. I voted AGAINST this bill which violates the principle that government is best when it is closest to the people.
Declare gold and silver coin shall be legal tender in the State of Idaho (H177 – signed into law). This bill is a gift to political donors who own for-profit repositories for gold, silver and other precious metals. Previous bills that would allow the state to invest its cash in gold and silver have repeatedly failed. Had they become law, the state would then need to find a place to store their gold and silver (hence the connection). This bill lays the groundwork for those previous failed bills to pass. I voted AGAINST this bill, which primarily serves the interests of a handful of politically connected business owners.
Crime/Judicial
Criminalize SWATTING (S1019 – signed into law). The term “swatting” refers to someone making a false report of violence or emergency occurring at another person’s home to harass and terrorize them. Making this false report can result in a law-enforcement SWAT team to arrive at the scene. SWAT tactics can result in serious injury or even death to the unsuspecting innocent party who has no idea what’s going on. I VOTED FOR this bill that stands out as one of the few that deserves to impose severe penalties for a truly criminal act.
Give the Attorney General (AG) new powers to prosecute city officials (H6 – signed into law). This bill allows the AG to intervene if they suspect that a local prosecutor is not taking action due to a personal relationship with the parties involved. In allowing this, the bill creates the potential for abuse should an AG decide to take action for partisan political reasons (which is happening in other states). I voted AGAINST this bill which gives too much power to one person in an increasingly divisive and authoritative political environment.
Impose a mandatory minimum $300 fine for possession of marijuana (H7 – signed into law). In Idaho, mandatory minimum punishments are allowed for felony crimes. This bill would set a precedent by extending mandatory minimum punishments for misdemeanor crimes. Possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor and judicial discretion allows for a fine to be imposed in those situations. I voted AGAINST this bill. It prevents a judge from weighing the unique circumstances of a situation (juvenile, disabled veteran, etc.) and thus render a judgment that better fits the crime.
Protect media source confidentiality (H158 – signed into law). This bill is a shield law that protects media source confidentiality when engaging in newsgathering activities, except in cases of national security or imminent physical harm. I VOTED FOR this bill which is necessary to protect the newsgathering activities of legitimate journalistic organizations.
Make execution by firing squad the primary method for administering the death penalty (H37 – signed into law). The current method for executing someone in Idaho is by lethal injection, with a firing squad being a secondary, back-up method. This bill reverses that. I voted AGAINST this barbaric bill, which would use a mechanized gun that would fire bullets at a person strapped to a chair by pushing a button. What could possibly go wrong?
Turn aliens in Idaho into criminals (H83 – signed into law). This legislation makes the mere presence of an illegal alien in Idaho a crime. I support people coming to America through proper channels. I also support a guest worker program that enables non-citizens to work in Idaho. However this bill can hurt businesses vital to the local economy of cities and towns across Idaho. Immigration is fundamentally a federal issue; this bill won’t fix it. I voted AGAINST this bill which appears to be more about fear than fact. This law is currently being challenged in the courts.
Death penalty for certain sex offenders (H380 – signed into law). This bill imposes the death penalty on a person convicted of certain sexual crimes against minors when certain statutory aggravating circumstances are proved. The crimes defined in this bill are truly heinous. The perpetrators – especially repeat offenders –deserve the harshest of penalties to ensure they cannot victimize anyone ever again. There are two ways to ensure that outcome: life in prison without any possibility of parole, or the death penalty. My concern when imposing the death penalty for a crime other than murder is that it can send us down a dangerous slippery slope. I was not present for the vote on this bill, but I would have co-sponsored it had the penalty been life in prison without parole.
Local Government
Limit the ability of Idaho roads to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians (S1140 and S1144 – signed into law). The first bill (S1140) declares that Idaho roads shall primarily benefit motor vehicles. The second bill (S1144) requires that pedestrian and bicycle facilities may only be improved as a secondary or collateral benefit for a highway project; and non-residential collector and arterial roadways may not be reduced in width. I voted AGAINST both of these bills which callously rejects the legitimate multi-use purpose of roads. It will result in increased injury and death due to accidents that could otherwise be prevented.
Ban unauthorized public camping or sleeping statewide (S1141 – signed into law). This bill allows any person or business to sue a city if there is a homeless person living in their car (or other venue) on a public street or space that they think “adversely affects them.” It also empowers the Attorney General to sue a city. I voted AGAINST this mean-spirited bill that makes no effort to actually address or solve the issue of homelessness.
Allow local governments to display only certain flags (H96 – signed into law). This bill prohibits any government entity from displaying any flag on its property except the United States flag and other exceptions. The bill had to be amended multiple times to create a long list of exceptions. This revealed the real motive of the bill which was to prevent the City of Boise from displaying a rainbow flag (only pictures of rainbow flags along Harrison Boulevard were distributed during debate). I voted AGAINST this bill that does legislatively what the bigots who recently tore down the rainbow flags along Harrison Boulevard did physically.
Sex
Prohibit men and women from occupying the same enclosed space in certain circumstances (H264 – signed into law). This is the legislature’s umpteenth anti-transgender bill that is now being expanded from bathrooms to include changing room and sleeping quarters. It is far more likely that men transitioning and presenting themselves as very feminine would be assaulted if forced to use a men’s bathroom. I voted AGAINST this bill which takes a heavy-handed approach to a challenging issue that essentially tells transgendered individuals to leave Idaho if you want to be who you know you are. I have met several transgendered individuals and their loved ones while walking every street in my district. They are my constituents. I will not pretend they don’t exist.
Indecent exposure (H270 – signed into law). This bill changes the definition of indecent exposure to include the willful exposure of real, artificial or medically or hormonally altered breasts. The bill applies to private locations and events, not just public events. This new crime could be triggered by anyone who claims to be “offended” – without defining what that means. Most concerning is that a violation would be a felony with a prison sentence of up to five years. The motivation for this bill was apparently an inappropriate act of indecent exposure by an individual during a public event. It is yet another bill creating a statewide law (and a new crime) in reaction to an isolated incident. I don’t condone the incident in question, but I voted AGAINST this bill because it is poorly written, extremely problematic and excessively harsh. We don’t need a sledgehammer to drive a nail.
Other
Idaho Code Cleanup Act (H14 – signed into law). This new law requires state agencies to review Idaho Code for unnecessary, obsolete, and outdated provisions, and to report their recommendations to the Legislature by September 1, 2025. While the due date may be a bit aggressive, I VOTED FOR this common-sense exercise to help remove irrelevant, redundant and obsolete statutes.
Release of adoption information (H47 – signed into law). This bill requires birth records be made available to adoptees who were adopted prior to July 1, 2022 once they reach 18 years of age. We heard some heart wrenching stories in favor of this bill, and stories about families who were torn apart. I voted AGAINST this bill because it could result in unnecessary abortions. There are expectant mothers who will not put their newborn up for adoption unless they know their anonymity will forever remain a secret. Without that commitment, they may choose more desperate measures to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. The strongest argument in favor of this bill was the importance of an adopted child to know their birth family’s medical history. I would support a bill that required this medical history to be captured when a child is put up for adoption and then allow the agency to release it upon request of the adoptee after they reach 18 years of age.
Increase reporting requirements for lobbyists (H398 – signed into law). This bill increases the frequency of reporting by registered lobbyists during and outside legislative sessions. It also updates definitions to indicate that both direct and indirect efforts to influence policymaking are considered lobbying activities. I VOTED FOR this bill which provides much needed clarity and transparency of lobbying efforts in Idaho.
Moving rules into statute. The legislature is implementing a systematic take-over of responsibilities that belong to the departments and agencies within the executive branch. The writing of rules needs to be owned by experts in their field of work, not politicians. I voted AGAINST every “rules-to-statute” bill, which creates imbalance of power within state government. Shame on the governor for signing all these bills into law that move rules into statute:
- H90: Public assistance programs
- H200: Pharmacies
- H290: Immunizations
- H312: Daycare licensing
- H336: Child support
- S1014: Tests and blood specimen collection for infants and newborns
- S1051: Child support services
- S1024: Substance Use Disorders (SUD)
- S1170: Use of cyanide in mining
“An Appeal to Heaven” license plate (H235 – signed into law). This bill would create another specialty license plate (along with last year’s “Don’t Tread on Me” license plate) that originated as a flag from Revolutionary War times but has recently been appropriated as a symbol used by certain radical groups (including those that participated in the January 6th storming of the U.S. Capitol). Meanwhile my proposed “Too Great for Hate” license plate bill was denied a hearing in the House Transportation committee and was killed after another version of it (S1072) was introduced in the Senate. I voted AGAINST this bill, which is turning Idaho license plates into political statements reserved only for the extremists controlling the majority party in the legislature.
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