Idaho Reports

Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, and Sen. Ben Adams share their views on the session. Then, Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News, James Dawson of Boise State Public Radio, and Dr. Jaclyn Kettler of Boise State University discuss Gov. Brad Little's first vetoes of the session, and what he still has left to sign.

With the explosive growth of massive data centers across the country, many Americans are convinced that artificial intelligence, and the infrastructure needed to run it, are what’s to blame for rising electric bills. And in some places, that’s true! But while Idaho doesn’t have the same caliber of data center incentives that a state like Virgina has, it’s still an appealing location to build a new...

Two of the biggest resources that go into operating a data center are power — to run the computers — and water, to cool them down. Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, sponsored House Bill 895, which if signed into law would encourage data centers in Idaho to use closed-loop water cooling systems and require evaporative cooling systems, which consume water, be regulated under existing water rights law.

Executive director Christine Tiddens of Idaho Voices for Children shares her concerns with proposed changes to the Idaho Child Care Program. Then, Sens. Doug Okuniewicz and James Ruchti share their thoughts on the waning days of the session. Finally, Toni Lawson of the Idaho Hospital Association discusses the short timeline Idaho has to spend $1 billion in Rural Health Transformation funding.

Lawmakers are sprinting toward adjournment, churning through policy bills as they work to finalize the state budget. This week, House Majority Caucus Chair Rep. Jaron Crane sits down with Logan Finney to discuss a bill on the way to the governor's desk that would require certain tech companies to turn off certain addictive design features on young Idahoans' social media profiles.

Lawmakers are itching to head home, but there’s still that pesky matter of balancing the state budget. Plus, reporter Whitney Bryen details her Investigate West series “Guarded by Predators” – a deeply reported investigation which revealed dozens of rarely prosecuted allegations against women’s prison guards at Idaho Dept. of Correction facilities – and what has happened since the story dropped.

In an analysis piece this week in Idaho Education News, senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert wrote, “To put it mildly, Little deferred to the Legislature. To put it more accurately, he acquiesced to the Legislature. Again. As he has done repeatedly.” He sat down with Logan Finney this week to discuss the overall status of the higher education budgets, and what comes next before adjourning the...

Procedural pressures are boiling over, in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee and out on the open House and Senate chamber floors. We dive into the details with House Majority Leader Jason Monks, Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, Senate Education chairman Dave Lent, and Division of Financial Management administrator Lori Wolff to get a progress report on the legislative session.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological condition – a prion like mad cow disease or scrapie – that affects members of the deer and elk family, known as cervids or cervidae. In February, the Idaho Conservation League sent a letter to state lawmakers and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, outlining concerns with documented biosecurity lapses at several domestic elk farms across the s...

On Thursday, Gov. Brad Little, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, and Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allen announced a historic water rights settlement after years of litigation. The agreement protects most existing water rights and protects water for future growth for north Idaho communities, while also protecting and retaining tribal authority for their water rights.

As testy as this year's legislative primaries are shaping up to be, the statewide primaries are shockingly quiet. We discuss what the factors might be, and how it could affect the rest of the legislative session, at the pundits' table with former Gov. Butch Otter, former Attorney General David Leroy, Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News, and Dr. Jaclyn Kettler of Boise State University.

It's election season, and after the filing window closed last Friday, there's plenty to talk about. Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane discusses updates to the candidate filing system, campaign finance rules, and midterm election discussions at the federal level.

Uniform budget cuts are going to hit every state agency differently – but lawmakers have had that information the entire time. This week, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador share his concerns about budget cuts hindering child sex abuse investigations. Then, House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel and Assistant Minority Leader Steve Berch share their thoughts, as does Speaker of the House Mike Moyle.

There are many goods and services that benefit from exemptions to Idaho's sales tax. House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel and Assistant Minority Leader Steve Berch of Boise discuss a bill this week that would set up a system to review whether all of those tax preference policies are accomplishing what the Legislature had in mind when creating them. OPE Report: https://legislature.idaho.gov/ope/report...

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee set this year's first supplemental and enhancement budgets on Friday morning. Divides over the new reduction process were apparent in the debate on restoring tuition assistance for Idaho National Guard members.

Six weeks into the session, and the budget fights continue. This week, College of Western Idaho president Gordon Jones sits down with Logan Finney to discuss how budget cuts will affect the college, and what the ripple effects might be. Then, Dr. Mary Barinaga of Idaho WWAMI and Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News join Melissa Davlin to discuss budgets, medical education, special ed, and more.

The ACLU of Idaho last week filed a class action lawsuit challenging the enforcement actions taken by federal, state, and local police agencies during an October raid at a horse racing track in Wilder, ID. Executive Director Leo Morales joins Logan Finney to discuss.

Idaho state lawmakers considered bills this week relating to religious schools and special education, public restrooms and a defunct women's commission. Plus, rats in Ada County.

Kristyn Herbert, Julie McConnel, Ned Fowkes, and Dana Gover – four Idahoans who rely on Medicaid programs for themselves or their children – discuss cuts to certain programs, including home and community-based services and therapies which help Idahoans with disabilities live independently, being proposed to balance the state budget.

House Appropriations Chairman Josh Tanner, Senate Finance Chairman Scott Grow, and joint committee members Rep. Rod Furniss and Rep. Brooke Green join Melissa Davlin to discuss proposed Medicaid program cuts and the broader budget picture for the 2026 legislative session.

It’s a year filled with difficult decisions and some Idahoans are begging the state not to cut Medicaid any more than it already has. This week, Melissa Davlin sits down with four Idahoans who rely on Medicaid services to get their view on proposed budget cuts. Then, Sen. C. Scott Grow, Rep. Josh Tanner, Rep. Rod Furniss, and Rep. Brooke Green of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee discuss.

Norway and roof rats have been found in the Boise metro area, and an infestation has the potential to spread diseases and cause problems for agriculture. Producer Logan Finney sat down with Sen. Tammy Nichols to discuss a bill that would designate the rats an invasive species and task the Idaho State Department of Agriculture and others with abating the problem.

Budget uncertainty is driving just about every conversation – on tax policy, on education, and definitely on health care. This week, producer Logan Finney discusses why tax conformity, often a formality, has become a real debate this session. Then, Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News talks about looming budget cuts and how they might affect public schools, higher education, and everything else.

Gov. Brad Little exempted K-12 public schools from 3% budget holdbacks earlier this year. But last week, the budget committee co-chairs directed all government sectors, including public education, to prepare plans for what any additional 1% and 2% holdbacks would look like. Logan Finney sat down with Quinn Perry, deputy director of the Idaho School Board Association, to discuss what additional bud...

Looming budget cuts have already defined this legislative session, and stakeholders are weighing in on how saving a dollar today could cost state and local governments much more in the future. This week, Ivy Walker with Idaho Voices for Children, Sen. Julie Van Orden, Sen. Jim Woodward, and Nampa mother Trixy Ward discuss proposals to cut Medicaid costs, and how those might affect Idaho families.