Idaho GOP, Democrats disagree on library, pronoun, ‘sex’ definition bills as session ends

Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star, listens to proceedings during a during a Ways and Means Committee hearing at the Idaho Capitol on April 6, 2021. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

The Idaho Legislature has adjourned for the year, and Idaho Republican and Democratic leaders in press conferences Wednesday afternoon highlighted the successes and the downfalls of this year’s legislative session. 

Idaho Republicans said some of this year’s successes include passing a law to implement mandatory minimum sentences for people convicted of fentanyl trafficking, criminalizing possession of artificial intelligence-generated child porn, and setting aside funds to combat quagga mussels in the Snake River.

Rep. Sage Dixon, R-Ponderay, said another important piece of legislation was the state’s joint resolution calling for a federal immigration reform — a topic he said the party will continue to push moving forward. 

House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, said he believes this year’s “bill of the year” is House Bill 521, which bill sponsors said is the largest state investment in school facilities. As reported by Idaho Education News, it creates ways for the state to spend an estimated $2 billion on school facilities over the next 10 years. 

Following the Republican leadership’s press conferences, Idaho Democrats said their priority was to provide for the everyday needs of Idahoans. 

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said her party celebrates decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, continuing Idaho Launch programs, increasing Idaho contraceptive access, and protecting those suffering from neurocognitive impairments. 

“I couldn’t be prouder of the work that we did in our caucus this session,” Wintrow said. “As the year comes to a close, I want us to ask ourselves, who represents our true interests and who fought for everyday needs and kitchen table issues?”

Idaho GOP, Democrats split on pronouns, ‘sex definition,’ library bills

While the Democrats celebrated some wins, Democrats said they disapproved of the state’s laws that codify library protocol for patrons who deem material “harmful to minors.” 

While a Boise State University survey showed that 69% of Idahoans trust library staff with book selection, Moyle said there is not a disconnect between the Legislature and Idahoans. 

“I would disagree that there’s a disconnect,” Moyle said about the survey. “When I go home on the weekend, there’s a lot of concern about [library materials], and the bill that we’re doing this year I think was a reasonable compromise.”

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, at the State Capitol building on Jan. 9, 2023. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

Democrats also said they disapprove of the policies protecting public workers from having to identify people by certain pronouns, changing the definition of “sex,” and prohibiting the use of public funds for gender-affirming care. 

However, Moyle said that he believes the majority of Idahoans supported those policies, calling those bills “common sense bills.”

“I think that we just want to make it clear — male and female —  and make it clear that pronouns, if you want to have them — fine,” Moyle said. “But you don’t have to force people to use them.”

In response to concerns over lawsuits related to those bills, Moyle said he does not think the laws are discriminatory, and he hopes they’ll be upheld in court. 

“When we talk about the Constitution, everybody should be treated equally, and sometimes what we find is we want to treat one group more equal than another group, and that’s where you lose me. We’re all the same.”

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said she disagrees with Moyle. 

“I haven’t seen polling on this and I’m not sure how you would cleanly pull it, but I would be stunned if the majority of Idahoans were excited about spending money on extremely divisive social issues that make not one shred of difference in their daily life that will not get them an affordable home, health care, better schools …” Rubel said. “It does nothing but persecute a fringe group.”

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