Tag: idaho
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Five Republican trifecta states and one with divided government enact bills reducing agency power in 2026
State legislative sessions in 2026 have featured a number of bills affecting the administrative state, with five Republican trifecta states and one state with a divided government enacting bills that reduce the power of state agencies. The term administrative state refers to executive branch agencies with unelected officials (in this case, at the state level)…
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Signatures submitted for Idaho initiative to establish a statutory right to reproductive freedom, including abortion
Supporters of an Idaho initiative that would add a right to reproductive freedom and privacy to state law submitted the last of their signature petition sheets to county clerk offices on May 1. County officials have until June 30 to certify the number of valid signatures submitted and report their findings to the secretary of…
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Signatures submitted for Idaho initiative that would legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes
Supporters of an Idaho initiative that would legalize the use of marijuana for individuals diagnosed with a substantial health condition submitted signature petition sheets to county clerk offices on May 1. County officials have until June 30 to certify the number of valid signatures submitted and report their findings to the secretary of state. If…
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Idaho amends voter ID affidavit process, enacts 14 other election bills in 2026
The Idaho Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on April 2 after enacting 15 election-related bills, all of which were signed by Gov. Brad Little (R). Among those bills was S 1322, which amends the state’s option for voters to fill out an affidavit instead of providing a photo ID when voting. The new law…
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Over the past two weeks, 10 new ballot measures were certified in six states — Alabama, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, and Oklahoma
As of April 14, 94 statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in 36 states, 10 more measures than the average number certified at this point in other even-numbered years over the past decade (2014 to 2024). Here’s an update on the latest ballot measure activity during the past two weeks: The last signature…
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Idaho governor signs Medicaid work requirements bill requiring three months of compliance before enrollment
A previous version of this story included an error stating that Idaho was the only state requiring three months of compliance with Medicaid work requirements prior to enrollment. Indiana also recently passed a bill that requires this. On April 10, 2026, Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed House Bill 913 establishing Medicaid work requirements in…
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Idaho voters to decide official state gun ballot measure in the November 2026 election
The Idaho State Legislature approved House Bill 932, placing an advisory question on the November 2026 ballot to determine the official state gun. The ballot question will be as follows: “Which of the following guns should be designated as the state gun of Idaho? Please choose only one answer. (a) Winchester Model 1894 (.30-30); (b)…
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Seven open seats in Idaho state legislative elections this year; second-fewest since 2010
Seven seats are open in Idaho’s state legislative elections this year, meaning no incumbents filed. That is the second-fewest open seats since 2010 and means newcomers could represent as little as 7% of the legislature next year. The average number of open seats each cycle from 2010 to 2024 was 18. Forty-two incumbents face primary…
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Ten candidates are running for Idaho’s two U.S. House districts — tying with 2014 for the second-most since then
This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Idaho was Feb. 27, 2026. Ten candidates — four Democrats and six Republicans — are running for Idaho’s two U.S. House districts. That’s five candidates per district. There were three candidates per district in 2024, four in 2022, 3.5 in 2020,…
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Idaho Supreme Court upholds state school choice tax credit
On Feb. 5, 2026, the Idaho Supreme Court unanimously upheld the state's private school choice refundable tax credit, rejecting the argument that the program violated the Idaho Constitution and judicial precedent. The petitioners included the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, Inc., Mormon Women for Ethical Government, School District No. 281, Latah County,…