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Idaho Gang of Eight – 500 Bills. One Question: When Do We Say No?

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Observer Staff
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March 2, 2026

500 Bills. One Question: When Do We Say No?
If we believe in limited government, we must be willing to limit it.

By: Idaho Gang of Eight

As of March 2, nearly 500 pieces of legislation have been introduced in the Idaho Legislature. More are being filed daily as we approach the March 9 transmittal deadline.

That pace should give us pause. Not because lawmaking is wrong. But because every law carries consequences.

Legislation is not neutral.

Every new law builds something. It must be administered. Rules must be promulgated. This costs money. And over time, that means government growth.

Over the past six years, Idaho’s state budget has grown by roughly 60 percent. Nearly 40 percent of Idaho’s budget comes from federal funds, borrowed dollars from a federal government more than $38 trillion in debt.

This didn’t happen overnight. It happened one session at a time.

The Gang of Eight Budget Pledge calls for slowing that growth and restoring fiscal discipline. But discipline does not begin in JFAC. It begins when we decide whether a bill should exist at all.

If nearly 500+ policy bills are necessary in a single session, we should ask why.

Success is not measured by how many bills we pass. It is measured by whether those laws limit government, protect freedom, and keep Idaho free from federal control.

There are meaningful reforms moving this session.

Immigration reform passed the House. Pro–Second Amendment legislation has been introduced. Bills have been brought forward to prohibit taxpayer-funded promotion of government unions, reaffirm state authority where the Constitution reserves it, and protect constitutional rights in Idaho courts.

But grocery tax repeal still cannot get a hearing. CPS reforms have not received full debate. Real transparency on cloud seeding is stalled. Efforts to repeal vaccine mandates remain stuck in committee.

When expanding government is routine, but shrinking it requires a fight, that should concern anyone who believes in limited government.

Before passing a new law, we should ask a simple question:

Does this expand government — or restrain it?

A legislature that cannot say “No” will never control spending.

The goal is not fewer bills for the sake of fewer bills.

The goal is better laws and a government that does not need to grow in order to justify its existence.

In Liberty,

Senator Christy Zito, District 8
Zito4Idaho@protonmail.com

Senator Glenneda Zuiderveld, District 24
GZuiderveld@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @glenneda

Senator Josh Kohl, District 25
JKohl@senate.idaho.gov
Substack: @joshkohl4idaho

Representative Faye Thompson, District 8
FayeforLD8@gmail.com

Representative Lucas Cayler, District 11
LCayler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @lucascayler

Representative Kent Marmon, District 11
KMarmon@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @kentmarmon

Representative Clint Hostetler, District 24
CHostetler@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @theidahoresolve

Representative David Leavitt, District 25
DLeavitt@house.idaho.gov
Substack: @Leavitt4Idaho

Bannock County DMV: Upcoming Potential Changes

By
Observer Staff
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(Bannock County Press Release, March 3, 2026; Cover photo credit: Bannock County)

The first months of the year have zipped by. While we didn’t see the typical weather, we did see more of the common slow-down of patronage. This did not mean that our team wasn’t busy. They were able to keep up amazingly with our dealer and financial institution partners business, even when illness and other things left us short staffed. We are so thankful to our team for working together to make sure that all patronage and business needs are met.

The state released the redesigned Timber plate in January. Previously, this plate was a light off white background with a graphic of trees in the far back left corner and gentleman in the front left corner planting a seedling. The new graphic is a stunning artist rendering of a landscape of Idaho forests, in deep blues and greens, and promotes a powerful message of: “Forests Forever. Manage. Harvest. Plant. Repeat.” Funds from this program plate still go to the Idaho Department of Lands fund, which supports forestry education, reforestation projects, wildfire prevention, and programs like Project Learning Tree. The funds are used to promote sustainable forestry practices on public and private lands.

Timber License Plate (image credit: Bannock County DMV)

We’re following many legislative bills that would result in changes to this office if they are passed and signed into law.

Conversation on HB533 has been heavy with our staff and patrons, as our legislators decide on whether to continue the issuance of registration decal stickers. As of 02/27/26, this bill has passed both the House and Senate and is being forwarded to the Governor’s desk for signature.

In addition to this bill, HB629 would implement electronic registration copies being available and acceptable.

The other one being closely watched is HB577, which would do away with replacement metal plates being issued every 10 years, and allow for them to be replaced when necessary.

We do have a few others that involve new plates, and redesigns or changes in receiving programs that we will cover with you next month, as we get more information.

IDGOP Chair Dorothy Moon Applauds Senate Committee Defeat of Article V Convention Resolution

By
Observer Staff
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(Idaho Republican Party Press Release, March 2, 2026; Cover image credit: IDGOP FB)

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon issued the following statement today after House Concurrent Resolution 25 failed on a 4–5 vote in the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee:

I commend the members of the committee who voted today to reject HCR 25 and protect the integrity of our United States Constitution. While we strongly support fiscal responsibility and a balanced federal budget, an Article V Convention is not the right path.

Our Constitution has served this nation for nearly 250 years. Opening it to a convention carries serious and unpredictable risks that could extend far beyond a single amendment.

The Idaho GOP has long opposed calls for an Article V Convention, and the Republican National Committee has adopted a standing resolution opposing it as well. We remain committed to advancing conservative solutions that rein in federal spending without jeopardizing the constitutional framework that safeguards our liberties.

Today’s vote reflects prudent leadership and a clear understanding that protecting the Constitution must remain our highest priority.

The Idaho Republican Party will continue working to promote fiscal discipline, limited government, and constitutional principles at every level of government.

This Week’s Capitol Clarity to Highlight Family Court System, Thursday, February 26

By
Karyn Simmons
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0

March 3, 2026

Boise–This week’s Capitol Clarity, The Idaho Freedom Foundation’s weekly legislative update, will focus on Idaho’s Family Court System.  IFF President Ronald Nate shared the details in an email:

Join Rep. Lucas Cayler and Kristine McCreery, Founder of Parents Objective With Essential Rights, this Thursday for a powerful session of Capitol Clarity.

Kristine McCreery isn’t just an advocate; she’s a survivor of the system. After a harrowing 15-month legal battle to reunite with her teenage son over unsubstantiated allegations, she’s turning her pain into policy.

Her story highlights a dangerous gap in our laws: the total lack of accountability for false or bad-faith reports.

Rep. Lucas Cayler is leading the charge in the Idaho House to establish the guardrails our state desperately needs. It’s time to fight for a system where parental rights are protected, due process isn’t an afterthought, and clear evidence is required before a family is torn apart.

When: Thursday, March 5th | 12:00 PM (Noon)

Where: Idaho State Capitol, Lincoln Auditorium

Our children deserve safety, and our parents deserve justice. Let’s make sure the system finally serves both.

State Department: Resources and Support for U.S. Citizens Overseas

By
Observer Staff
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(U.S. Department of State, March 2, 2026)

Following Operation Epic Fury, Secretary Rubio released a video message emphasizing that the safety and security of American citizens is the Department of State’s highest priority.

A courtesy transcript of the Secretary’s video is below:

“At my direction, the Department has activated a 24/7 task force that is providing American citizens with up-to-the-minute safety and security information.

Here is how you can stay abreast of the latest updates, as well as ways we are working around the clock to help you stay safe in the wake of Iran’s cowardly attacks:

All Americans located abroad, particularly those in the Middle East, should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest messages and updates from your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

U.S. citizens overseas are also encouraged to follow our “Security Updates for U.S. Citizens” channel on WhatsApp and to follow @TravelGov on social media. The latest alerts can be found at travel.state.gov as well.

Americans in the Middle East may contact the Department of State 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-202-501-4444.”

How Are Mountain Whitefish Populations Doing in Idaho?

By
Observer Staff
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(Idaho Fish and Game Press Release, February 25, 2026)

Fisheries biologists use the term “salmonids” to refer to members of the biological family that includes salmon and steelhead, trout, grayling, and whitefish. In Idaho, we have many different species of native and nonnative salmonids, but by far the group that gets the least attention from anglers is whitefish. You might be surprised to know Idaho actually has several native species of whitefish, but most anglers are likely to encounter the mountain whitefish. That’s because they are often caught incidentally when anglers are fishing rivers for trout. Although Idaho Fish and Game biologists regularly monitor trout to determine if populations are healthy, they rarely monitor mountain whitefish populations. Recently, that changed, with the Department conducting two different studies to look at how mountain whitefish are doing across Idaho.

In the first study, biologists used snorkel-count data from the Salmon and Clearwater basins of central Idaho that have been collected for decades. These snorkel surveys are used to monitor wild salmon and steelhead natural production, but other game species are counted too. Biologists found that mountain whitefish populations in most rivers of the Salmon and Clearwater basins were stable or increasing going back to the mid-1980s, except in the South Fork of the Clearwater River, where declines were noticeable. The stable conditions for most populations were not surprising given that more than one-third of central Idaho is backcountry and is a stronghold for other native salmonids, including salmon and steelhead, bull trout, and cutthroat trout.

The second study focused on southern Idaho, ranging across the entire upper Snake River basin, over to the Oregon/Nevada/Wyoming borders. Dozens of streams that were surveyed in the late 1990s and early 2000s were re-surveyed over a 5-year period from 2020-2024. Biologists then looked for any changes in mountain whitefish populations compared to 20+ years ago. The survey data revealed several interesting findings. First, mountain whitefish remain very abundant in many places where they are found, with as many as 8,000 fish/mile of river at their highest abundance! Trout are rarely that abundant in Idaho or elsewhere. Unfortunately, we also observed that mountain whitefish declined in some places. For example, in streams smaller than about 60 feet wide, mountain whitefish are now often missing where they used to be present 20 years ago. Although small streams are not prime habitat for mountain whitefish – they prefer rivers – this is concerning and is something the Department will continue to monitor. We also found the declines were highest in the biggest rivers. In fact, every location we surveyed where stream width exceeded 100 feet showed a decline in whitefish numbers. The Department if now funding a graduate student at the University of Idaho to look into why some of these mountain whitefish populations might be experiencing declines in where they live and how many are present.

The Department is not concerned that mountain whitefish are generally in trouble in Idaho. On the contrary, they probably remain our most prolific salmonid in the state, and are often the unsung heros of an otherwise tough day of trout fishing. In fact, we encourage more anglers to take advantage of the bountiful abundance of mountain whitefish. In many locations, keeping a few fish to pickle or smoke won’t do a bit of harm to the population, and pickled or smoked whitefish is delicious. Nevertheless, Idaho Fish and Game plans to more closely monitor mountain whitefish populations in the future than has been done in the past, to assess whether whitefish abundance across the state changes further. More angling information on Idaho mountain whitefish populations can be found here.

Idaho Tax Commission Offers Guidance on Conformity Deductions, 2025 Idaho Tax Filing

By
Observer Staff
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(Idaho State Tax Commission Press Release, February 20, 2026)

Boise–The Idaho State Tax Commission is providing an update on claiming the new conformity deductions on 2025 Idaho income tax returns.

The Tax Commission has programmed its systems to automatically give the larger standard deduction amounts to taxpayers who take the standard deduction on their 2025 income taxes. This means that those taxpayers who’ve already filed their taxes won’t need to file amended returns to claim the larger standard deduction.

Taxpayers who want to claim the other conformity deductions will need to wait until the Tax Commission provides guidance on how to do this. These other deductions include the enhanced senior deduction and the deductions for qualified tips from wages, car loan interest, and overtime compensation.

The Tax Commission anticipates updating its forms and systems with the conformity changes by mid-to-late March. At that time the agency will provide instructions on how to claim the deductions on their taxes.

Taxpayers who are concerned about the timing of the changes and the tax due date can get an automatic filing extension by making sure they’ve paid enough of their tax by April 15. To qualify, they should either pay 80% of the estimated tax they owe for 2025 or 100% of the total tax reported on their 2024 income tax return (if they filed a return). They can use the worksheet on Idaho Form 51 – Voucher, Estimated Payment of Individual Income Tax, to determine any needed payment.

Visit tax.idaho.gov to get tax forms, make payments, and find tax help. You can also get help by calling (208) 334-7660 in the Boise area or toll free at (800) 972-7660.

The deadline to file 2025 income taxes is Wednesday, April 15.

Guest Columnist Idaho Senator Christy Zito – The Fourth Amendment: The Line Between a Free People and a Surveillance State

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Observer Staff
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February 28, 2026

The Fourth Amendment: The Line Between a Free People and a Surveillance State

By:  Idaho Senator Christy Zito

ID Senator Christy Zito (photo credit: Christy Zito)

A Personal Reflection

When I first entered office, I carried a simple conviction I still hold: The Constitution is not a suggestion. It is a restraint on power.

I’ve seen emergency powers expand, temporary measures harden into permanent systems, and privacy vanish when fear takes hold.

The Fourth Amendment isn’t about shielding wrongdoing. It’s about preserving human dignity.

Liberty must be guarded faithfully—not loudly or recklessly, but steadily.

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution is only 54 words long.

But those 54 words stand as a bulwark between liberty and tyranny.

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…”

Long before fierce national debates over the Second Amendment, free speech, or religious liberty, a deeply personal grievance sparked the American Revolution: government agents invading homes without cause or warrant.

In the 1760s, British authorities wielded “writs of assistance”—blanket search warrants that let officers ransack homes, shops, and ships at will. No specific names. No limits. No accountability.

Colonists stood helplessly as agents rifled through their belongings. James Otis declared that such unchecked power placed “the liberty of every man in the hands of every petty officer.”

The Founders understood: If government can search without cause, the citizen is not sovereign—the state is.

That’s why the Fourth Amendment chains the government, not the people.

What the Fourth Amendment Protects

  • Your person: your body and, in our digital age, your identity and data trail
  • Your home: the most sacred space in American law
  • Your papers: now encompassing emails, texts, cloud storage, and digital records
  • Your effects: vehicles, devices, personal property

The bar is high: probable cause, a sworn warrant from a neutral judge, and particularity in what may be searched and seized.

Freedom demands friction against power.

How It’s Under Threat Today

Modern violations take subtler, but no less dangerous, forms:

  1. Mass digital surveillance—bulk collection of location data, metadata, and communications
  2. Administrative overreach—regulatory inspections and enforcement that stretch constitutional limits
  3. Civil asset forfeiture—seizing property without a criminal conviction or due process
  4. Digital backdoors and compelled cooperation—pressuring tech companies or individuals to grant indirect access

Unchecked power erodes liberty quietly, then permanently.

The Core Principle: Personal
Sovereignty

America rests on a radical truth: the individual is sovereign. The government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.

This means your home is your castle, your body is not state property, your data is not automatically the public’s, and your rights are not mere privileges doled out by bureaucracy.

Why 2026 Matters—and Why Idaho’s SB 1326 Is Essential

In 2026, Idaho has a chance to reaffirm this principle with Senate Bill 1326, the Property Rights Protection Act.

This legislation codifies the core Fourth Amendment protections by:

  • Prohibiting government agents (state or federal) from entering private land not open to the public—beyond driveways, walkways, or similar areas—without a valid search warrant, exigent circumstances, or the owner’s/lessee’s consent
  • Requiring federal agents to notify the local county sheriff before executing a search warrant on private property (absent exigent circumstances)
  • Clarifying that agents may approach a home’s front entrance like any private visitor, but cannot conduct investigatory searches, surveillance, or remain if asked to leave (unless legally authorized)
  • Providing remedies, including civil penalties and the right to sue for damages and attorney fees when violations occur

(Note: Local law enforcement, like county sheriffs, municipal police, and state police, are exempt from certain penalties to preserve routine duties.)

This isn’t defiance of federal authority. It’s fidelity to the Constitution—ensuring Idaho stands firmly against warrantless intrusions into private lands and homes.

A Note from the Gang of Eight

We witness firsthand how federal dollars often arrive with strings that quietly erode constitutional boundaries. Compliance requirements can pressure states into accepting surveillance or overreach frameworks that undermine personal sovereignty.

We refuse to trade Idahoans’ rights for funding. Liberty isn’t negotiable.

The Idaho Republican Party adopted Resolution 2025-4 Extending 4th Amendment Protection for Idaho Citizens to Include All Private Property Not Open to the Public Beyond Curtilage (Open Fields).

Owyhee County Sheriff Larry Kendrick and Elmore County Sheriff Mike Hollinshed have both endorsed this legislation with a letter of support.

This is not partisan.
This is American.

God bless,

Senator Christy Zito
District 8

Candidate Filing Period for Bannock County Offices Begins Today, March 2

By
Observer Staff
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0

(Bannock County Press Release, March 2, 2026)

BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho – Residents interested in serving their community can soon file to run for office in the 2026 Primary Election. The filing window for county-level seats opens Monday, March 2, and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13.

New this year, all candidates must file their declaration forms online at voteidaho.gov. For help with the new online system, visit the Elections Office at 141 N 6th Avenue in Pocatello or call 208-236-7333.

The following county seats are up for election:

  • Assessor
  • Clerk
  • Commissioner (District 1 and District 2)
  • Coroner
  • Treasurer

Voters’ party affiliation will determine the ballot they use to vote in the Primary Election. The Republican, Libertarian, and Constitution parties have closed their primaries to only registered members. The Democratic Party allows any registered voter to participate in their primary.

Voters who are already registered with a political party but wish to change their affiliation must do so online at voteidaho.gov by Friday, March 13, 2026. Unaffiliated voters can affiliate with a party at the polls. Idaho residents who are not yet registered to vote can register online at voteidaho.gov until May 8, 2026, or can register at the polls on Election Day with an Idaho photo ID and proof of residence.

Election day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. More information about voting in the Primary Election is available at bannockcounty.gov/elections.

U.S., Gulf Nations Release Joint Statement on Iran’s Missile and Drone Attacks in the Region

By
Observer Staff
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(U.S. Department of State, March 1, 2026)

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of recent missile and drone attacks launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran across the region:

The United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates strongly condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran’s indiscriminate and reckless missile and drone attacks against sovereign territories across the region, including Bahrain, Iraq — including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region — Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These unjustified strikes targeted sovereign territory, endangered civilian populations, and damaged civilian infrastructure.

The Islamic Republic’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior.

We stand united in defense of our citizens, sovereignty, and territory, and reaffirm our right to self-defense in the face of these attacks. We remain committed to regional security and commend the effective air and missile defense cooperation that has prevented far greater loss of life and destruction.

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The Pocatello Chubbuck Observer seeks to be a fair and objective portal, where readers can find the local, regional and national news, recent facts and entertainment.
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