Donald Trump swept the Missouri and Idaho Republican caucuses on Saturday and captured all 39 delegates at the Michigan GOP convention ahead of Super Tuesday as he marched toward a third straight presidential nomination.
Read MoreTag: Idaho
Ranked-Choice Voting Proves to Be Lightning Rod Issue in Several States
Bills to ban ranked-choice voting are causing passionate debate over a method to cast ballots that some say is fairer and some say is confusing and could lower voter turnout.
Ranked-choice voting allows people to rank the candidates, with “one” being their favorite. The votes are tallied in rounds. After the first round, the candidate with the lowest votes is eliminated. The voter’s second preference is then added to the tally. The process continues until a winner is determined.
Read MoreIdaho Asks Supreme Court to Stop Federal Government from Using ERs as ‘Enclave’ for Abortions
Idaho is asking the Supreme Court to intervene and allow the state to enforce its pro-life law despite the Biden Administration’s efforts to block it by allowing abortions in emergency rooms, according to court documents.
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act is meant to ensure that all patients who request emergency room treatment are examined, but Idaho argued in its court filing Monday that the law turns “protection for the uninsured into a federal super-statute on the issue of abortion, one that strips Idaho of its sovereign interest in protecting innocent human life and turns emergency rooms into a federal enclave where state standards of care do not apply.”
Read MoreBlue State Residents Are Paying Much More for Energy than Red States, New Report Shows
Residents of blue states with aggressive climate policies are paying significantly more for electricity and fuel than red states, according to a new report by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New York and New Jersey are seven of the top eight continental states in terms of highest average retail electricity prices in 2023, according to ALEC’s report. Each of these states have some sort of green energy mandate, which the ALEC report refers to as a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), or participates in a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, or both.
Read MoreReport: Mountain States Among ‘Most Free’ in North America
Mountain states rank among the “most free” in North America, according to a new report from the Fraser Institute.
The Canadian think tank employs 10 variables for its Economic Freedom of North America 2023 reports and scores states based on categories such as government spending, taxes, labor market freedom, legal system and property rights, sound money, and freedom to trade internationally.
Read MoreAppeals Court Reverses Previous Ruling That Halted Idaho’s Abortion Ban
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overruled a lower court decision to block Idaho’s abortion ban Thursday, according to court documents.
U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Idaho B. Lynn Winmill, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, ruled in August that the law could stop doctors from referring patients to abortion clinics in other states in an emergency due to fear of prosecution. A panel of judges appointed by former President Donald Trump, however, determined that the state’s case to uphold the ban was likely to succeed and that for the time being “public interest is best served by preserving the force and effect of a duly enacted Idaho law,” according to court documents.
Read MoreFederal Judge Halts Idaho Law Banning Boys from Girls’ Bathrooms
A federal judge decided Thursday to temporarily block enforcement of an Idaho law meant to bar biological males from using female restrooms.
Senate Bill 1100, which was signed by Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little, went into effect July 1 and required schools to have two separate bathrooms, one for each biological sex, and allowed students to sue the school for up to $5,000 for each transgender person who is found to be using a bathroom that does not match their biological sex, according to the law. Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ legal activist group, sued to block the law on July 7, arguing the law violates the premise of the Equal Protection Clause and will cause harm to transgender persons, according to the lawsuit.
Read MoreCollege Profs Sue over State Abortion Law, Argue It Criminalizes Classroom Discussion
Idaho professors and teachers unions are alleging that a state law violates their First Amendment rights by preventing them from teaching pro-abortion viewpoints, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the ACLU.
Idaho passed the No Public Funds for Abortion Act in 2021, which prohibits state contracts with abortion providers and bans public employees from promoting abortion, according to Idaho’s legislative website. Public employees who violate the law can be charged with a felony and fired, and professors argue the law has forced them to alter their course modules by taking out entire sections related to abortion due to fear of repercussions, according to the lawsuit.
Read MoreBiden Admin Uses Ukraine Aid Funds to Scope Out Cobalt Mining in Idaho
The Biden administration has begun using funds from a $40 billion Ukraine aid package Congress passed in 2022 to rebuild American manufacturing capacity and restock weapons and scope out critical mineral mining possibilities in Idaho, according to Defense News.
Pentagon planners hope the contracts awarded through Defense Production Act (DPA) authority will help break the U.S. industrial base’s dependence on China and Russia for critical minerals and expand production capabilities, the outlet reported. The Department of Defense (DOD) handed out the first contract from the $600 million fund Congress included the May 2022 package set aside for arming Ukraine in April, and in June used the funds to authorize cobalt exploration in Idaho.
Read MoreNearly Half of U.S. States Now Have Measures Limiting Transgender Surgery for Minors, but Lawsuits Abound
At least 20 states have either restricted or banned transgender procedures for minors, with many of them facing lawsuits and temporary blocks by courts as a result, while future litigation is possible in states considering adopting such laws.
The states that have enacted legislation against such procedures are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia – essentially all conservative-leaning.
Read MoreIdaho Governor Signed Bill Banning ‘Abortion Trafficking,’ First of Its Kind
Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a first-of-its-kind law banning “abortion trafficking” Wednesday, according to the legislation.
The new law, formerly House Bill 242, defines “abortion trafficking” as any adult with the intent “to conceal an abortion from the parents or guardian of a pregnant, unemancipated minor” or obtains “an abortion-inducing drug for the pregnant minor to use for an abortion by recruiting, harboring, or transporting the pregnant minor within this state,” according to the bill. The bill also allows the parents of the minor to sue anyone found guilty of providing an abortion to the child and whoever is found guilty faces from two to five years in prison.
Read MoreNorth Carolina, North Dakota, Among States Phasing Out Income Tax
Americans in search of economic freedom and opportunity are flocking to Florida, Tennessee and Texas, and at least part of the attraction is that these three states, along with six others (Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming and New Hampshire), don’t levy an income tax.
Other states may soon follow.
“There are 10 states that are in the process of moving their personal income tax to zero,” President of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist said on the John Solomon Reports podcast.
Read MoreTennessee, Georgia, and Virginia Among 18 States Banning Social Media App TikTok from State Devices
Following South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem’s lead, nearly half of U.S. states have put restrictions on or banned the use of Chinese-based social media app TikTok.
At least 19 states have banned TikTok on government-issued devices – Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utha, Virginia and West Virginia.
Read MoreGoogle Agrees to Nearly $400 Million Settlement with 40 States over Location-Tracking Probe
Google agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states after an investigation found that the tech giant participated in questionable location-tracking practices, state attorneys general announced Monday.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called it a “historic win for consumers.”
Read MoreIdaho Pride Group Postpones Children’s Drag Show over Safety Concerns
The Boise Pride Fest will cancel a drag show featuring children over safety concerns.
“While the vast majority of our sponsors and supporters have voiced their support for the Boise Pride Festival and the Drag Kids program, we have made the very difficult decision to postpone this performance due to increased safety concerns,” the group stated, according to Idaho News. “The health and well-being of the kids, their parents, and the attendees of the Festival are our priority.”
Read MoreMultiple Major Corporations Sponsor Child Drag Events
An upcoming drag event in Boise, Idaho that will be targeting young children has received the sponsorship of numerous major corporations, including Target, Wells Fargo, CitiBank, and Hewlett-Packard.
As reported by Breitbart, the Boise Pride Festival will feature an additional event titled “Drag Kids on Stage.” Marketing itself as “a drag show like none other,” the event description says that children as young as 11 will be on-stage.
Read MoreFederal Judge Questions Idaho Abortion Ban in Lawsuit Brought by Biden Administration: Updated
UPDATE: Late Wednesday, Judge Lynn Winmill granted the Biden Department of Justice’s request for an injunction on Idaho’s abortion ban as it pertains to medical emergencies.
“The Court hereby restrains and enjoins the State of Idaho, including all of its officers, employees, and agents, from enforcing Idaho Code § 18-622(2)-(3) as applied to medical care required by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA),” Winmill wrote, adding the state is prohibited “from initiating any criminal prosecution against, attempting to suspend or revoke the professional license of, or seeking to impose any other form of liability on, any medical provider or hospital based on their performance of conduct that (1) is defined as an “abortion” under Idaho Code § 18-604(1), but that is necessary to avoid (i) “placing the health of” a pregnant patient “in serious jeopardy”; (ii) a “serious impairment to bodily functions” of the pregnant patient; or (iii) a “serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part” of the pregnant patient.”
Read MoreSouth Carolina Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Heartbeat Law
The South Carolina Supreme Court has temporarily blocked continued enforcement of the state’s Heartbeat law, which bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The court’s order Wednesday grants abortion providers an emergency motion that will halt enforcement of the law which has been in effect since June 27, several days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Read MoreBiden Executive Order Attempts to Force Taxpayers to Fund Abortions on Demand
Joe Biden issued an executive order Wednesday that will attempt to force taxpayers to fund abortions on demand, including for women who travel to pro-abortion states to obtain late-term abortions.
Read MoreJustice Department Sues Idaho over State’s Abortion Ban
The Justice Department on Tuesday sued Idaho over its law that greatly restricts abortion in the state, marking the first Biden administration lawsuit related to the Supreme Court recently striking down its decades-old Roe v. Wade decision that provided a constitutional right to abortion.
Read MoreThree More States Are Poised to Ban Abortion Amid Court Battles
Idaho, Tennessee and Texas are moving to enact “trigger bans” restricting abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade June 24, ending the precedent which had banned states from restricting abortion throughout the first six months of pregnancy.
The bans in these three states will take effect 30 days after the Supreme Court officially transmitted its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Association July 26, according to The Hill. Another 10 states had trigger bans go into effect after elected officials enacted them, and trigger abortion bans went into effect immediately after the court overturned Roe in three other states.
Read MoreSatanic Temple Pulls Out of ‘Kid Friendly’ LGBQT Pride Event in Idaho After Backlash
The Satanic Temple was included on a list of participants of a “kid friendly” LGBTQ+ “Pride in the Park” event in Idaho—which includes a “drag dance party”—until Libs of Tik Tok publicized their involvement on Twitter.
A member of the Satanic group claimed to have pulled out of the Saturday event after several sponsors apparently dropped out due to their participation.
Read More21 States Join Lawsuit to End Federal Mask Mandate on Airplanes, Public Transportation
Twenty-one states have filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued mask mandate on public transportation, including on airplanes.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are leading the effort. Moody filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida along with 20 other attorneys general. DeSantis said the mask mandate was misguided and heavy-handed.
Read MoreSixteen States File New Lawsuit Against Federal COVID Vaccination Mandate
Sixteen states again are challenging a federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health care workers who work at facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding.
Friday’s filing in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana comes after the issuance of final guidance on the mandate from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), arguing the guidance is an action that is reviewable.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled by 5-4 vote Jan. 13 against the original Louisiana challenge to the mandate and a similar Missouri filing.
Read MoreCollege Instructor Charged with Battery of Anti-Mask Mandate Demonstrator
A North Idaho College instructor has been charged with Misdemeanor Battery for allegedly assaulting a person holding a sign in support of the college’s Board of Trustees decision to repeal the university-wide mask mandate.
Rachelle Ottosen stood at the September North Idaho College Board of Trustees meeting holding a sign picturing a red circle with the words “Medical Fascism” inside and a slash through it. Ottosen told Campus Reform that she brought the sign to show her support for the Board’s August decision to repeal its mask mandate.
Read MoreState Lawmakers Strip Four Democrat and Two Republican Governors’ Power After Overreach During COVID-19 Pandemic
State legislatures in six states limited their governors’ emergency powers wielded during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing executives have overextended their authority.
As of June 2021, lawmakers in 46 states have introduced legislation stripping governors of certain emergency powers, according to USA Today. Legislatures justified their actions as necessary to restore a balance between the branches of state government, pointing to examples of executive overreach and the centralization of power in the hands of governors.
Read MoreCoffee Shop Bullied Off Campus Over Owner’s Support for Police
A small coffee shop at Boise State University in Idaho has closed, just months after opening, in response to student complaints about the owner’s pro-police views.
After backlash from the student government and calls for the university to cancel the restaurant’s contract, the owner closed the shop voluntarily, leaving several students unemployed.
Read MoreJudge Blocks Idaho Law That Prevents Transgender Women from Participating in Female Athletics
U.S. District Judge David Nye of Idaho ordered a preliminary injunction on Monday temporarily halting a state law that prohibits transgender girls and women from competing in female athletics, The Idaho Statesman reported.
Nye’s ruling will allow transgender girls and women to participate in women’s sports this upcoming fall at colleges and in secondary schools as the lawsuit proceeds, the Statesman reported.
Read MoreThree Hundred Female Athletes Support Idaho’s Barring of Biological Males from Women’s Sports
More than 300 female athletes are speaking out in support of Idaho’s decision to protect women’s sports from biological men.
Female professional, Olympic, and National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes on July 29 sent a letter to the NCAA board of governors asking it to reject calls from LGBT activists to boycott Idaho over its new law protecting women’s athletics from participation by transgender biological males.
“We do not want to watch our athletic achievements be erased from the history books by individuals with all the inherent athletic advantages that come from a male body,” Save Women’s Sports wrote in its letter.
Read MoreIdaho Governor Signs ‘Fairness for Women in Sports Act’ Barring Biological Men from Competing in Women’s Sports
by Mickey Mertz Idaho Governor Brad Little signed into law the Fairness for Women in Sports Act, which bars biological men from competing in women’s athletics. “The legislature finds that there are ‘inherent differences between men and women,’ and that these differences ‘remain cause for celebration, but not for denigration…
Read MoreBiden Defeats Sanders in Michigan Primary, President Trump Sees Massive Turnout
Former Vice President Joe Biden won Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday night, delivering a fatal blow to the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Read MoreBiden Defeats Sanders in Michigan Primary, President Trump Sees Massive Turnout
Former Vice President Joe Biden won Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday night, delivering a fatal blow to the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
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