LEGISLATURE: They’re busy down in Boise

These days, the Boise legislature is a very “happening“ place. There are 500 to 600 proposals for new law that are considered in the legislative session. 

There are many themes around which proposals for legislation coalesce. Here are some: 

1) Education — House Bill 516 seeks to clarify prohibitions on instruction regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K to 12. Senate Bill 1227 directs the Department of Education to develop guidelines and parameters around the use of artificial intelligence.

2) Anti-discrimination — House Bill 557 restricts local anti-discrimination ordinances from going beyond what is already present in state law.

3) Taxes — House Bill 559 conforms Idaho‘s income tax rules to those in the “one big beautiful bill” recently passed in the US Congress.

4) Family Law — Senate Bill 1257 clarifies parameters regarding parental visitation as well as conditions supporting termination of parental rights.

5) Calls for a Constitutional convention — House Concurrent Resolution 25 calls upon the US Congress, under article 5 of the US Constitution, to call a convention for the purpose of proposing a balanced budget amendment. This proposal, and there will be others like it, invites very careful scrutiny. While on the surface it may appear innocent and very constructive, it fails to reveal an underlying process which would be quite threatening to our Constitution. Please ask your legislators to oppose any call for such a convention.

If you can, take the time to learn more about the legislative process, and offer your opinion about proposals for new law. To easily do this, go to Telegram and click on Idaho Bill Alert. Jenny H has provided this very easy process by which you can learn about specific bills and send your opinion to the lawmakers. They very much do like to hear from constituents.

WILLIAM GREEN

Coeur d’Alene