The “conformity” bill (H559). This bill aligns Idaho tax code with Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. It is estimated to reduce Idaho revenue by $155-300 million/year. This revenue reduction, along with last year's revenue reduction of $240 million/year (H40) could reduce Idaho revenue by about $5 billion over the next 10 years. I VOTED AGAINST this irresponsible reduction in revenue that was made without first determining the state’s fiancial needs and obligations.
CLICK HERE to see my debate in the Revenue & Taxation committee
CLICK HERE to see my debate on the House floor
Amend the school voucher/tax credit law from 2025 (H934). This bill made a minor clarification to the age of a student for which this tax credit applied. I was absent when this bill was voted on, but I would have VOTED AGAINST it based on what was missing from this bill: a reduction in the $50 million in taxpayer revenue budgeted for private and religious schools commensurate with other budget cuts made this session. The absence of that provision ensured that private and religious schools would remain protected and immune from the budget cuts.
Shift revenue generated from liquor sales to partially fund the Idaho State Police (H967). This bill is a good example of fiscal stupidity. It would provide ISP with only $4 million (they need $18 million), half of which would come from liquor sales revenue that help fund counties. Meanwhile, $1.6 billion sits unused in the state’s rainy-day fund. I VOTED FOR this bill because it was the only ISP funding alternative that majority party leadership would allow. CLICK HERE to see my debate against an earlier version of this bill (H944) in committee.
Modify limitations placed on the growth of property taxes (H959). This bill relaxes some of the constraints the legislature placed on a local government’s ability to generate revenue to accommodate growth (H389 – 2021). However, the changes only apply to very small, fast-growing communities where H389 prevented them from keeping up with the public safety service demands (e.g. fire departments). I VOTED FOR this bill, which would have been much better if it repealed H389 in its entirety.
Health & Welfare
Medicaid work requirements (H913). This bill kicks people off Medicaid if they did not meet requirements set forth in Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. The bill targets about 80,000 Idahoans currently on Medicaid, with nearly half of them estimated to now lose Medicaid coverage. It requires enrollees to prove that they worked or participated in a form of community engagement for at least 80 hours per month and apply for renewed coverage every three months. The onerous paperwork and administrative requirements alone will cause even eligible, working individuals to lose coverage (as has happened in other states). I was absent when this bill was voted on, but I would have VOTED AGAINST this bill that deliberately hurts people who are truly in need while a $20,000/year tax cut was given to the top 1% of Idahoans last year.
The PEDIATRIC SECRETIVE TRANSITIONS PARENTAL RIGHTS ACT (H822). This bill turns every doctor, nurse, behavioral or mental health provider, babysitter and other childcare providers, as well as every public and private school teacher into the gender police. They must report to parents anything their child does or says that doesn’t conform with what the legislature dictates a child’s proper appearance and behavior should be. This includes reporting a child that:
- likes to be called by a name associated with the opposite gender (e.g. Mel instead of Melanie)
- dresses or adorns themselves differently (e.g. a girl wearing boyish clothes; a boy with painted fingernails)
- has the “wrong” hairstyle (e.g. a girl with very short hair; a boy with very long hair)
- indicates to a therapist that they may suffer from gender dysphoria and fear for their safety if their parents found out – thus denying a minor with suicidal thoughts from getting confidential assistance.
In addition, this bill empowers the Idaho Attorney General (Raul Labrador) to investigate any allegation of his choosing – with no penalty for making a false accusation. Labrador can seek a penalty of $100,000 – an outrageous amount without precedent in Idaho statute. I was absent for the vote, but I would have VOTED AGAINST this bill, which forces Idaho citizens to be the legislature’s foot soldiers in its contrived war against anything that might even appear to be related to gender dysphoria.
Require enhanced coverage for anti-cancer medications (H648). This bill requires healthcare plans to allow cancer patients the option to take prescribed oral anti-cancer medications as an alternative to being treated by infusion. I VOTED FOR this bill which will ease the burden of cancer patients who are currently forced to travel to a health care location to receive an infusion.
Parental rights in medical decisions (H860). This bill updates a law that was passed in 2024 (S1329), which required parental consent for nearly every type of medical care for minors under 18. The real intent of the 2024 law was to prevent any conversation about gender dysphoria with a minor. However, it was so broadly written that it prohibited addressing other types of medical care such as access to a suicide hotline, non-emergency first aid, administering a rape kit, and pregnancy care when the mother is a minor. I VOTED FOR this bill which made a bad law a little less bad.
Safety checks for children under one year old (H776). This bill directs the Department of Health and Welfare to investigate within 12 hours any report regarding a caretaker of a newborn who presents a risk to the child, such as having been convicted of injury to a child or had their parental rights terminated. I VOTED FOR this bill which provides reasonable and important protection for a potentially at-risk infant or child.
Increase oversight of children’s residential care facilities (H723). This bill strengthens provisions regarding individualized service planning and documentation requirements for residential care facilities. It is a good response to a 2025 report by the Office of Performance Evaluations (OPE) highlighting deficiencies and concerns. I VOTED FOR this bill which helps address a situation in need of improvement. CLICK HERE to read the OPE report.
Provide death benefits to surviving spouses of public safety officers (H642). This bill establishes consistent catastrophic benefits for public safety officers who are either killed or severely injured in the line of duty. It is funded solely through public safety officer pension contributions rate – not by employers or taxpayers. I VOTED FOR this important bill that provides peace of mind for those who place themselves in harm’s way for their fellow citizens.
Education
Anti-teacher union bill (H516/H745) H516 originally had nothing to do with the teachers’ union. It was amended in the Senate by replacing the unrelated text in the original H516 with the anti-union contents of a stalled bill (H745) that eliminated some of the abilities unions have to collect dues and engage in activities in the workplace. This new version of H516 (which was now the contents of H745) was sent directly to the floor of the House where it passed on April 2, the last day of the 2026 session. At no time during this process was a public hearing ever held in either the House or Senate Education committee on a bill that has a direct and deliberately harmful impact on public school teachers. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which was falsely described as saving taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers do not pay the dues of union members.
Civics education (S1336). This bill usurps the Department of Education’s responsibility for setting curriculum standards for teaching civics by writing them directly into law. The bill details four pages of content that must be taught, which includes teaching the “influence of Christianity” on the founding of America. I VOTED AGAINST this bill, which promotes American Exceptionalism ideology while white-washing and omitting other aspects of the founding and history of America. The same day this bill was signed into law, Governor Little and Debbie Critchfield (Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction) announced a partnership with Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA to install one of their Club America chapters in every Idaho high school campus (CLICK HERE).
Mandate one minute of silence in public school classrooms (H623). This bill requires public school teachers to enforce one minute of silence for students to “reflect, meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity.” The ulterior motive of this bill is to lay the groundwork to require prayer in public schools – and not just for one minute (the bill mandates at least one minute). I VOTED AGAINST this sneaky bill that forces every student from ages 5 to 18 to maintain a full minute of silence every day of every school year. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Report possible criminal behavior by a teacher to law enforcement (H635). This legislation requires reporting any filed complaints against a teacher that contain behavior that may be criminal to law enforcement. This bill sounds reasonable, but it contains a poison pill – specifically, the phrase “may be criminal.” The word “may” could trigger an investigation based on imagined suspicion without evidence. More concerning is the word “criminal.” A future bill could turn an innocent, legal activity today into a crime – such as displaying a sign that says “Everyone is Welcome Here,” or perhaps teaching a child in a class who is undocumented. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which can be used to intimidate teachers in the future.
Virtual public education (H624). This bill updates and aligns provisions governing virtual education programs operated by school districts and public charter schools. It specifically addresses concerns documented in a recent OPE report concerning the use of funds by the Idaho Home Learning Academy (IHLA). I VOTED FOR this bill, which addresses some of the concerns raised in the OPE report. Many parents who have enrolled their children in IHLA are very pleased with the results. This bill does not eliminate that choice. It does provide important structure and controls as taxpayer-funded virtual education programs continue to grow in Idaho. CLICK HERE to read the OPE report.
Anti-bullying in public schools (H515). This bill ensures that families whose students are involved in a serious bullying incident are notified so they are aware of the situation and can respond accordingly. I VOTED FOR this long-overdue bill that addresses a growing problem in our public schools. Private schools are exempted from this law, including those being subsidized with Idaho taxpayer voucher/tax credit dollars.
Process for hiring a university president (S1225). This bill attempts to solve the problem that Boise State University has had in hiring a new president. Current law requires that the five finalists to fill the position be named publicly. This has caused prospective applicants to withdraw from consideration. They may not want their current employer to know they are looking for a new job, and they may not want the world to know they were not hired. I VOTED FOR this bill which would require a university to only publicly name the sole finalist before making a hiring decision.
Alternative way to become a school principal or superintendent (H711). This bill creates an alternate pathway for someone to become a school principal or superintendent. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which lowers the standards for being hired into those positions, and is insulting to those who invested their time and effort to earn the academic and experience credentials to hold those positions today. Lowering the qualifications for a position to increase the number of potential applicants is not a good way to solve a labor shortage problem.
Disciplining students for inappropriate online behavior (H785). This bill creates a process for school districts and charter schools to discipline students who use social media to bully, threaten, demean, or intimidate teachers and other students. I VOTED FOR this bill which takes an important first step in addressing this growing problem.
Address use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public schools (S1227). This bill develops a statewide framework for use of AI in K-12 education. It focuses on safety, transparency, accessibility, and human oversight. The goal is to help schools use AI to prepare students for the future while protecting privacy and keeping teachers central to the learning process. In addition, the bill calls for the development of AI literacy guidance, educator professional development, and parent resources. I VOTED FOR this important bill that recognizes the need to address the use and impact of a rapidly growing and evolving technology.
Limited funding for special-needs students (S1288). This bill provides $5 million in one-time funding to help address the costs associated with students with disabilities who require an additional level of care. Unfortunately, $103 million is needed to meet this need. Although this bill is totally inadequate to meet the actual need, I VOTED FOR it because it was the only amount majority party leaders would allow to be allocated for this purpose.
Cut funding for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy – IDLA (H940). This bill cuts the IDLA budget in half, reducing it by $13.4 million. This includes eliminating support for K-5 programs and Launchpad, an elementary school literacy program. IDLA also provides vital online education classes that many rural school districts depend on since they don’t have the resources to hire in-classroom teachers. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which was denied a public hearing, thus preventing stakeholders to testify as to the damage this budget cut would do.
Business
Eliminate most local ordinances pertaining to Short-Term Rentals (H583). This bill seeks to balance the concerns of Short-Term Rental (STR) owners with some of the restrictive ordinances enacted by resort cities. The problem is that it prohibits any city from creating ordinances that protect the integrity of residential neighborhoods. That can negatively impact property values, livability, and public safety. I VOTED AGAINST this bill, which would have been better if it acknowledged the differences between resort communities and single-family homes in residential subdivisions. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Addictive Social Media Act (H542). The purpose of this bill is to protect minors from addictive design features and exploitative data practices of social media companies while preserving First Amendment protections and parental authority. It would use the same technology that social media companies use for target marketing when authenticating that the user is not a minor. I VOTED FOR this bill which helps address the ramifications of minors becoming addicted to social media.
“Portable” health insurance (H645). This bill allows a contract worker to have their health insurance be tied to them, rather than their employer – thus making their medical coverage “portable.” The problem with this good-sounding bill is that there are no safeguards for reclassifying a job position from full-time to part-time contract work. The benefit of portability can be significantly outweighed by the loss of the more comprehensive benefits a full-time employee receives. This bill may be beneficial for those who want to be contract workers. However, I VOTED AGAINST this bill which creates an incentive for employers to lower their costs by converting full-time jobs into less expensive contract labor positions.
Consumer protection for veterans’ benefits (S1286). The complex nature of applying for veteran benefits has spawned an assistance service industry, where some bad actors engage in deceptive or predatory practices. This bill establishes uniform definitions, disclosure requirements, and conduct standards for those offering paid claims preparation services. In addition, it requires disclosure of free assistance options, written consent from the veteran, and protection of personal, financial, and health information. I VOTED FOR this bill that helps protect veterans from becoming the victims of financial abuse.
Transportation
Eliminate vehicle registration stickers (H533). This bill removes the requirement that vehicles display a registration sticker when registration is required. A valid license plate and vehicle registration certificate would be sufficient to verify the status of the vehicle’s registration. I VOTED FOR this bill, which no longer requires you to put a tiny renewal sticker on your license plate every year.
End automatic replacement of license plates (H577). Currently, Idaho license plates automatically expire after 10 years, after which they are replaced by a new one. This bill allows the holder to retain the plate for as long as they like, as long as it is legible from a distance of 75 feet during daylight. If not, the owner needs to make arrangements to have the license plate replaced. I VOTED AGAINST this bill because of its combined impact with the “no sticker” bill above (H533), which can make it too difficult for law enforcement to determine if a car is legally registered solely by observing the license plate.
Allow parents to teach a child how to drive on any road in Idaho (H628). This bill is an accident waiting to happen. It doesn’t require the car to be equipped with dual brakes (to enable an urgent stop), and signage is not required to warn surrounding motorists that they are driving next to an unlicensed minor. This is a huge concern for my district, which is bordered by Eagle Road (Hwy55), Chinden Blvd (US20), and I84 - three of the most dangerous, congested roads in Idaho. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which ignores basic safety measures when teaching a minor to drive on some of the deadliest roads in Idaho. CLICK HERE to see my debate.
Allow trucks to travel 80 MPH on Idaho interstate highways (H664). This bill eliminates differential speed limits on state highways, allowing trucks to travel as fast as passenger vehicles. Imagine a truck pulling three trailers traveling 80 MPH on a section of interstate subject to high winds – or trucks and cars trying to pass each other at that speed (or likely higher). Several trucking interests testified against this bill, pointing out several safety concerns, including driving on tires that are not built for such high speeds. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which presents a clear safety hazard for all motorists.
Enhanced safety pertaining to electric-assisted bicycles (H500). This bill requires motor vehicle drivers to exercise due care to avoid colliding with cyclists. Currently, drivers do not have a duty to avoid colliding with operators of electric assisted bicycles. Additionally, operators of electric assisted bicycles have the same responsibility as motor vehicle operators to follow traffic laws. I VOTED FOR this common-sense bill that closes a gaping public safety loophole in current statute.
Improve bicycle and pedestrian pathways (H508). This bill would allow federal funds or grants to be used to improve bike and pedestrian facilities. It helps mitigate an earlier law that was more restrictive in using transportation dollars for this purpose. I VOTED FOR this public-friendly bill that recognizes roadways are a shared resource for motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
Local Government/Housing
ADU’s - Accessory dwelling units (S1354). This bill allows homeowners to construct one internal accessory dwelling unit within a single-family dwelling and one detached accessory dwelling unit per lot, and it prevents cities from banning or unreasonably restricting them. It provides an individual homeowner additional flexibility for use of their property. I VOTED FOR this bill, which helps address the issue of available and affordable housing – a key issue for many people.
Starter home subdivisions (S1352). This bill enables the development of small-lot starter home subdivisions on residential-zoned land, removing local zoning barriers that prevent compact single-family development. It is a bit heavy-handed in taking away a certain amount of control from local government, but the subdivisions created by it would maintain a common residential integrity within its boundaries. I VOTED FOR this bill as part of a broader effort to address the issue of affordable housing.
Anti-rainbow flag bill (H561). You know a bill is bad when it tries to ban everything, but its real purpose is to ban only one thing. That’s the case with this bill – an attempt to ban a city from flying a rainbow flag by prohibiting the flying of any flag except just a few the legislature approves of. The problem is that there is a myriad of non-LGBT related flags that cities like to fly that get banned as well. I VOTED AGAINST this contorted bill, which has had to be amended each time to allow flying a popular flag that would otherwise be banned (e.g. a Basque flag).
Allow city council members to participate in hiring and firing a library director (H715). This bill prevents a library board from hiring or terminating a library director without the approval of the city council. This creates two sets of bosses for the library director: the library board and the city council. I VOTED AGAINST this unnecessary bill which runs the risk of unduly injecting politics into the running of a library. City councils already play a key role in appointing the members of a library board, who in turn hire and oversee the library director.
Change the election process for Ada County Highway Commissioners (ACHD) to elect Republicans (S1356). This bill requires that all “single-county highway districts” (of which ACHD is the only one) be partisan elections and have each commissioner be elected countywide even though they must live in a specified area within the district. Previously, ACHD commissioner elections were non-partisan and each was elected only by the people who lived in their district. In Ada County, some districts are more progressive politically and thus are more likely to elect someone accordingly. However, the total population of Ada County leans more to the right politically. Requiring each commissioner to be elected countywide makes it more likely that all elected commissioners will be Republicans. I VOTED AGAINST this hypocritical bill which contradicts a previous law passed by the legislature that requires each city council position to be elected only by the people who live within their city council district.
Governor to appoint certain state agency directors (S1300). This bill gives the Governor the power to appoint directors for the Idaho Departments of Fish and Game, Transportation, and Parks and Recreation with advice and consent of the Senate. Currently, these positions are appointed by the Boards of Directors of these agencies. Of most concern was the inclusion of the Department of Fish and Game. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which further politicizes these state agencies and departments. It also creates the potential to privatize Harriman State Park based on the contractual conditions associated with gift of that land to the state.
Other
Send someone to prison for up to five years if they use the wrong bathroom (H752). This bill makes it a crime for any person to knowingly and willfully enter a rest room, changing room, locker room, or shower room in a government-owned building or place of public accommodation designated for the opposite biological sex. A second or subsequent conviction is punishable by up to five years in state prison. I VOTED AGAINST what is yet another bathroom bill based on fear instead of fact. It was opposed by the major state law enforcement organizations as being impractical, if not impossible to reasonably enforce.
Provide secrecy for the procedures associated with executing a prisoner (H803). This bill prohibits discovery or disclosure of certain persons and entities who administer the death penalty by lethal injection or by firing squad. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which thwarts accountability and violates the public’s right to know the circumstances and individuals involved when an execution goes awry.
Restriction on lifetime hunting and fishing licenses (H855). This requires a person to have lived in Idaho for five years (instead of the current six months) before purchasing a lifetime license. I VOTED FOR this bill which closes a loophole that was being exploited by some residents of neighboring states who would establish temporary residence in Idaho simply to obtain a lifetime hunting license.
Change the reporting location of the State Historic Preservation Office - SHPO (H898). This boring-sounding bill is somewhat alarming. SHPO currently resides within the State Historical Society. It is responsible for preserving historic archeological sites throughout the state. This bill would move SHPO from the State Historical Society and have it report under a newly created agency called the Office of Species, Minerals, and Energy Coordination (OSMEC). OSMEC was created to help fast-track approval of development projects such as mining and power generation. It is a clear conflict of interest to have a preservation organization report to the leadership of a development organization. I VOTED AGAINST this bill which puts the thumb on the scale of development at the expense of preservation.
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