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Labrador files new lawsuit over Open Primaries initiative
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office filed a new lawsuit with Fourth Judicial District Court on Friday, after the Idaho Supreme Court dismissed his appeal of the Open Primaries ballot initiative last week on procedural grounds. Like in its original complaint to the Supreme Court, Labrador’s office focuses on the “Open…
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Idaho Supreme Court dismisses move to block open primaries initiative
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Idaho Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s appeal of the Idahoans for Open Primaries ballot initiative on procedural grounds. “Allegations of fraud in the gathering of signatures in the initiative process are serious,” the opinion states. “Those allegations, however, must be adjudicated in the district court…
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Idaho set to train 250 sexual assault nurse examiners by the end of the year
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports Four years ago, Idaho had 17 locations where victims could receive sexual assault exams, and only three of them had nurses trained in sexual assault forensics. Today, Idaho has 231 trained sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANE nurses, who can work out of 37 facilities. By the end of the…
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Parental consent law prohibits minors from accessing rape kit exams without parents
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports A parental rights bill intended to prohibit medical procedures on minors without parental consent could also end up unintentionally protecting sexual predators who abuse children. The new law, which went into effect July 1, prohibits minors from getting sexual assault exams, or rape kit exams, without parental consent. This becomes…
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Creech claims judge in lawsuit should have recused herself
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports Five months after the failed execution of Thomas Creech, a man on Idaho’s death row, his attorneys are challenging the judge who refused to recuse herself based on a potential friendship with the Ada County Prosecutor. On Feb. 28, the Idaho Department of Correction called off the execution attempt of…
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Vocational Rehab outlines budget woes, plans for waitlists
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation outlined its budgeting plans on Tuesday to the Idaho State Rehabilitation Advisory Council, with interim administrator Judy Taylor saying she was hopeful the division would not have to request a supplemental for Fiscal Year 2025 but acknowledging it may be necessary. Former Administrator Jane Donnellan…
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Open Primaries Coalition delivers signatures for November initiative
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports More than 200 volunteers with the Idaho for Open Primaries Coalition delivered more than 97,000 signatures to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday, crossing yet another hurdle in the coalition’s plan to get an election initiative on the November ballot. “This is what democracy looks like,” supporters chanted.…
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Supreme Court pauses Idaho abortion ban in emergency rooms
The 6-3 ruling does not resolve the EMTALA case. It only sends it back to the federal appeals court for further litigation.
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Voc Rehab administrator resigns amid budgeting issues
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The administrator of the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation resigned at the end of May, following budgeting issues that came to light during the legislative session. Mike Keckler, spokesman for the State Board of Education, confirmed to Idaho Reports on Monday that Jane Donnellan resigned from the position. Donnellan held…
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JFAC hears update on Harm Reduction Project investigation
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports After the Idaho Legislature repealed the needle exchange act, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee heard details about the state’s investigation into the Idaho Harm Reduction Project on Tuesday in a special meeting. Monica Young, program manager for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, conducted the investigation into the project after…
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Few public comments on citizens-only voting constitutional amendment
By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports The Legislative Services Office heard from only five people on a proposed constitutional amendment that will appear on voters’ November ballots. Lawmakers passed HJR 5 earlier this year to amend the state constitution and clarify that only U.S. citizens may vote in an election. The Idaho Constitution already defines qualifications…
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Rep. Young loses, other Eastern Idaho incumbents hold seats
Editor’s note: The Idaho Secretary of State’s Office on Thursday evening identified a data entry error in unofficial election night results from Butte County between Young and Fuhriman. The updated results did not affect the outcome. The full press release is included at the bottom of this article. By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports After serving…