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The Idaho House has approved a controversial memorial calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

For much of the session, legislators have been haggling over how to have a say over the way Idaho spends $930 million in rural health grants.

A new bill emerged Tuesday morning.

Introduced unanimously in the House Health and Welfare Committee, this bill follows a similar version from the Senate and would create a legislative committee to oversee Idaho’s federal Rural Healthcare Transformation grants. The money could have far-reaching implications — and could factor into Idaho’s medical education debate.

A bill that would recognize professional experience outside the classroom on the career ladder is heading to the full House. 

Currently, career-technical educators must receive four years of proficient evaluations before they can move up the career ladder, the state’s salary funding model. The bill would allow CTE instructors and professional support staff to move up the ladder with years of experience outside of schools.

After an hour of debate — a wide-ranging airing of fiscal issues — the House Friday easily passed an immediate spending cut.

The 2026 Idaho Rescissions Act, Senate Bill 1331, cuts this year’s general fund spending by $131.3 million. Most of the cuts were already in place; Gov. Brad Little cut 3% from most agency budgets last summer. But the bill also includes an additional $15.3 million in cuts, beyond Little’s recommendations.

“This settlement is a massive win for all north Idaho families, businesses, and communities who depend on reliable water,” said Attorney General Labrador. “For over a decade, this litigation created uncertainty for cities, farms, and employers across the basin. Courts had already held that the tribe was entitled to certain water rights on the Reservation that could affect the region. This settlement avoids continued litigation, protects existing water rights, secures water for future growth, and it is a win for all parties.”

The House Education Committee deadlocked Wednesday on a bill punishing student walkouts, effectively killing it for this legislative session. 

House Bill 794 would have required that public schools count protest walkouts as unexcused absences. A motion to advance the bill failed on a 7-7 tie, amid concerns that the bill would infringe on free speech rights and parents’ right to excuse their children from school.

Betty Grandy may only be nine years old, but she worked the room like a seasoned lobbyist Wednesday morning and secured a unanimous “yes” from state senators on her bill to designate hunting as the official state sport.

The House State Affairs Committee introduced a replacement bill that would update the state’s “harmful materials” library law. 

The previous version would have prohibited stores from selling material that’s harmful to minors “or” sexually explicit. The new bill would prohibit stores from selling material that’s harmful to minors “and” sexually explicit. 

For the second consecutive year, House Republicans passed a bill that would prohibit school districts from deducting union dues from payroll systems and from offering employees paid leave for union activities, among other restrictions. 

“Idaho students should feel safe in Idaho schools, and nowhere more than in the most private spaces like restrooms and locker rooms,” said Caleb Pirc, Director of the IFPC Legal Center. “But rather than protecting its students’ safety and privacy, Boise High School facilitated the violation of our client’s privacy.”