Sunday, October 18, 2026 · Off-Session

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Legislature

Idaho Counties Set to Receive $49.6 Million in Federal Land Payments

Idaho will receive $49.6 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2026, with 44 local governments across the state benefiting from the annual federal allocation announced Tuesday by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. PILT payments compensate counties and municipalities for the presence of federal lands within their borders that cannot […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 1, 2026
Governor

Gov. Little Names New Transportation Chief, Fills Multiple State Leadership Posts

Governor Brad Little announced a series of state government appointments on Tuesday, highlighted by the selection of a long-tenured Idaho official to lead the Idaho Transportation Department. New Transportation Director Alberto Gonzalez will take over as ITD Director effective this month, succeeding Scott Stokes, who is retiring from the role. Gonzalez brings roughly 30 years […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 1, 2026
Governor

Idaho’s Unity Reactor Reaches Criticality at National Laboratory, Marking Achievement in Trump’s Advanced Nuclear Push

Deployable Energy’s Unity reactor achieved criticality at Idaho National Laboratory on Tuesday, marking the third advanced reactor to reach the milestone within a single month and fulfilling a key objective in the Trump administration’s nuclear energy agenda. The achievement came as the Department of Energy announced the reactor’s operational status. Two of the three advanced […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · July 1, 2026
Congress

Idaho’s Simpson Praises Supreme Court Ruling on Women’s Sports

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson issued a statement Monday welcoming the Supreme Court’s formal rulings in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., calling the decisions a landmark moment for female athletes nationwide. “Today is a historic day for female athletes in America,” Simpson said. The second-district congressman added, “Men have no place in women’s […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 30, 2026
Legislature

Hundreds of New Idaho Laws Take Effect Tuesday as 2026 Session Sets Five-Year Record

More than 350 laws passed by the Idaho Legislature during the 2026 session take effect Tuesday, July 1, making this the most productive legislative year in at least five years in terms of bills signed into law. The new statutes span a broad range of policy areas, including execution methods, housing policy, protections for children […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 30, 2026
Legislature

Idaho AG Labrador and Four Treasure Valley Cities Warn Residents of Permit Fraud Targeting Development Applicants

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador joined officials from four Treasure Valley cities Monday to alert residents about a fraud scheme targeting people who have applied for planning and zoning permits, warning that scammers are sending convincing fake invoices designed to extract quick payments. How the Scam Works Criminals are pulling public records from municipal planning […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 29, 2026
Congress

Crapo Joins 90 Republican Lawmakers in Amicus Brief Backing Louisiana Abortion Drug Lawsuit

Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and more than 90 Republican colleagues in Congress have filed an amicus brief in support of Louisiana’s lawsuit challenging federal regulations governing chemical abortion drugs, with the filing landing on Sunday, June 29. The Lawsuit and the Brief Louisiana Attorney General Murrill filed the underlying lawsuit in October 2025 on behalf […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 29, 2026
Legislature

Crapo-Klobuchar Bill to Extend Breast Cancer Awareness Program for Young Women Clears Senate Committee

Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) to renew a federal breast cancer education program aimed at women under 40 cleared a key Senate committee this week, moving one step closer to a full Senate vote. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved the reauthorization of the Breast Cancer Education and […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 29, 2026
Legislature

Idaho Governor Signs Executive Order Giving State Workers a Four-Day Fourth of July Weekend

Governor Brad Little signed an executive order Monday granting eligible Idaho state employees two additional paid days off to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, creating an extended Independence Day holiday around the official state observance. The Order Executive Order 2026-06, signed June 22, designates Thursday, July 2 and Monday, July 6 as additional paid leave […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 29, 2026
Legislature

Trump Administration Moves to Overhaul 30-Year-Old Grazing Rules as BLM Faces Staffing Strain

The Trump administration is advancing a broad set of changes to federal grazing regulations on public lands across the American West, drawing praise from livestock producers while raising questions about the federal government’s capacity to manage more than 240 million acres already stretched thin by staffing reductions. Modernizing Rules Unchanged Since 1995 The overhaul targets […]

By Idaho Politics Staff · June 29, 2026