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Congress

Risch Joins Bipartisan Push Urging FDA to Enforce Dairy Labeling Standards Against Plant-Based Products

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers formally pressed the Food and Drug Administration on Sunday to take enforcement action against plant-based products that use traditional dairy terms on their labels, arguing the practice harms both farmers and shoppers. Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch and Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin led the effort, joined by Pennsylvania […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 20, 2026
Legislature

Swan Falls Flow Reading Tops Minimum Threshold by Nearly 400 cfs

The Snake River at Swan Falls recorded an average annual daily flow (AADF) of 4,292 cubic feet per second as of July 19, placing the reading 392 cfs above the current seasonal minimum requirement, according to the latest weekly measurement. Current Reading and Minimum Requirements Flow data is collected at the Murphy Gaging Station in […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 20, 2026
Governor

Idaho Lands $31 Million Federal Nuclear Energy Award, Bedke Says Hundreds of Jobs on the Way

Lt. Governor Scott Bedke announced Sunday that the Intermountain Nuclear Energy Corridor serving Idaho and Wyoming has received a $31 million federal award through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration Tech Hubs Implementation program. When combined with matching funds and additional investments, total project funding is expected to exceed $40 million. Bedke issued […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 20, 2026
Legislature

Idaho Closes Fiscal Year 2026 With Positive Cash Balance Despite Broad Agency Cuts

Idaho finished fiscal year 2026 with a positive ending cash balance, Gov. Brad Little’s office announced Friday, carrying roughly $250 million forward into the new budget year that began July 1. The surplus comes after a demanding year of belt-tightening across state government. Most agencies absorbed a 4% budget reduction in fiscal year 2026, with […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 18, 2026
Legislature

Idaho DEQ Opens Public Comment Period on $6,100 Construction Site Penalty Settlement in Fruitland

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is inviting public input on a proposed settlement with Apex Land Group, LLC, stemming from alleged permit violations at a construction site in Fruitland, a small Payette County community near the Oregon border. What Happened DEQ alleges that Apex Land Group failed to comply with requirements of the Idaho […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 17, 2026
Legislature

Idaho’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Hits $50 Million Cap, Closes Early

The Idaho State Tax Commission has shut down the application window for the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Program after it exhausted its annual funding cap of nearly $50 million — well ahead of the statutory August 15 deadline. Program Draws More Demand Than Anticipated The application period officially ended March 15, but the Tax […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 17, 2026
Legislature

Idaho Closes Fiscal Year 2026 With $172 Million Revenue Surplus, Keeps AAA Bond Rating

Idaho wrapped up Fiscal Year 2026 on July 17 in a solid financial position, with General Fund revenues coming in well above projections and the state’s top-tier credit rating confirmed for another year. Final General Fund collections beat the Department of Financial Management’s revised forecast by roughly $171.9 million and exceeded the Legislature’s own forecast […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 17, 2026
Congress

Idaho’s Crapo Teams With Florida Senator to Criminalize Fentanyl Pill Press Imports

U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined forces with Senator Ashley Moody (R-Florida) on July 16 to introduce legislation that would make it a federal crime to intentionally import the equipment and chemicals used to manufacture counterfeit fentanyl pills on American soil. The bill, designated S. 4446 and titled the PRESS Act, targets a key link […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 17, 2026
Elections

Idaho Attorney General’s Office Tells DOJ to Back Off McGrane, Drop Election Lawsuit

Idaho’s attorney general office fired back at the U.S. Department of Justice this month, demanding federal officials cease direct contact with Secretary of State Phil McGrane and drop a civil lawsuit filed against him earlier this year over access to voter registration records. James E. M. Craig, a division chief in the Idaho Attorney General’s […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 17, 2026
Legislature

Idaho’s Nuclear Lab Hits Milestone Not Seen in Half a Century as Governor Touts America’s Atomic Revival

Idaho Governor Brad Little is pointing to a landmark moment at the Idaho National Laboratory, where new reactors have reached criticality for the first time in more than 50 years — a development Little says signals the arrival of a long-anticipated nuclear energy resurgence in the United States. A Historic Restart The Idaho National Laboratory, […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 16, 2026
Legislature

Idaho AG Labrador Warns Renters of Fraudulent Listings Targeting High-Growth Housing Markets

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador on Tuesday issued a consumer alert urging residents — particularly those relocating from out of state — to guard against rental and property scams that have become increasingly common as the state’s housing market tightens. Scammers Exploit Competitive Housing Conditions The July 15 warning from Labrador’s office described a pattern […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 16, 2026